Wednesday 05/23 A.M. Quickie:Oden, Durant to Portland, Seattle?

NBA Draft Lottery Mania! Be sure to check out my Lottery live-blog on Deadspin last night. And what a night it was, full of more than a little surprise. A roundup:

Winners (in order):
1. Sonics: Why Seattle over Portland? Because even though Portland has the luxury of choosing between Oden and Durant, it's the curse of "But what about the other guy?" Being No. 2 in this draft means never having to say "I shoulda."

(Will it help the Sonics with the team's bid to stay in Seattle? On the contrary: What wannabe NBA city -- Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Whatever City -- WOULDN'T go even crazier for a team with a young superstar?)

2. Blazers: That said, the Blazers choose between the franchise center that will all-but-ensure multiple titles 5-10 years from now and the franchise swingman, which is actually their biggest need, and will probably ensure multiple titles 5-10 years from now.

I don't think Oden as the top pick is a done-deal at all. The Blazers actually NEED a player at Durant's position, let alone a mega-watt star of Durant's potential. And while Oden is no Sam Bowie, can the Blazers really afford to miss out – again! -- on the potential next Michael Jordan?

(Although don't be fooled: The real comparison for Portland would not be Bowie-vs-Jordan but Olajuwon-vs-Jordan. And even Rod Thorn, the then-Bulls GM, admits that you'd have been insane to take MJ over Akeem that year. TrueHoop's Henry Abbott – a huge Blazers fan – used the comparison of Dwight Howard vs. Emeka Okafor. Not sure if that's right, because even though at the time it seemed like a toss-up, Howard is clearly the superior talent.)

My preposterously premature take? Durant is both a "sexier" pick (stop) and fills a bigger need for the team, but Oden is the rarer commodity. Presuming that the Blazers are still a few years away from competing (for a division title, let alone a West title, let alone an NBA title), they'll have plenty of draft picks, free-agency options and trade moves to find a perfectly good swingman. Not as good as Durant, mind you, but they simply won't be able to find a post player even remotely as dominant as Oden. Put more succinctly: Durant's VORP isn't as high as Oden's VORP. The Blazers should draft Oden. The Sonics would take Durant, move to Oklahoma City (familiar Big 12 country) and start their "new" franchise with an appropriately "franchise" talent.

Losers (in order):
1. (tie): Celtics, Grizzlies, Bucks. Each one (let alone ALL) had to really piss off the NBA karma police to drop out of the Top 3. (a) The Schedenfreude Meter on the Celtics was off the charts. (b) The Grizzlies will get a serviceable big man that might allow them to trade Pau Gasol for multiple players and picks. (c) The Bucks won the Lottery two years ago, and thus don't get much sympathy from anyone.

FreeDarko's live-blog had the hilarious line of the night, as it relates to the sorry fate of these three teams. The hot new T-shirt? "Stop Snitching Tanking."

Special Category of Purgatory:
1. Hawks: Only the Hawks could make it into the Top 3, avoiding the fate of giving their pick to the Suns, only to end up in the third slot in a two-star draft. It's not like the player they'll draft at No. 3 won't help, but you just know Atlanta will find a way to screw it up. (That's why, in my gut-reaction mock draft, I had the Hawks taking PG Mike Conley Jr, rather than one of the amazing big men available.)

(As a corollary, by NOT getting the Hawks' pick at No. 4-7, the Suns lose out on a windfall this year. Maybe they can trade Shawn Marion to jump into the Top 10, but without that existing Top 4-7 pick, it's less enticing.)

As for the rest? They basically slotted into form. It'll be interesting to see if the Hawks package the 3 and 11 picks to either move up (or move out). It'll be interesting to see if the Celtics trade the 5 pick for a player who can help them now. It'll be interesting to see how the various talented big men in the draft disperse through this Top 14.

Other must-read Lottery live-blogs:

Free Darko (by the FD team)

NBA FanHouse (by Ziller)

And CNBC's Darren Rovell does the math on what the No. 1 pick is worth.

On to the day's other big storylines:

Spurs thump Jazz for 2-0 series lead: With the Lottery results known, way more people are looking ahead to next year than giving a rat's ass about this year's remainder of the playoffs.

Giambi failed greenies test last year: Which was something he sorta failed to mention while he was doing his self-indulgent mea culpas to the media last week about steroids. Seriously, what a douchebag.

MLB Stud: Tim Lincecum, the Giants stud rookie SP who beat the Astros, allowing 5 hits and 2 runs in 8 IP for his second W of the season.

MLB Dud: Roy Oswalt, the Astros stud vet SP who lost to the Giants, which included protesting his manager's decision to IBB Barry Bonds. After the second time, he got drilled by Giants batters. Hmm: Coincidence?

Is Roy Hibbert pulling out of the NBA Draft and going back to Georgetown? If he does, he could vault himself into next season's Top 3. His game will certainly be the better for the experience.

The Commish rips Coach Janky Spanky: Clinton Portis deserved criticism for supporting Mike Vick's alleged dog-fighting habit, but he DID quickly apologize. Roger Goodell coming out against Portis now extends the Commish's "Get Tough" policy beyond condemning actions. Now he's condemning words. (Of course, will he condemn email? The Steelers are going to let Coach Email Porn go with a slap on the wrist. I'd like to see Goodell take a slightly less sympathetic stance.)

Unrelated: To Goodell's credit, he supports a new policy to allow anonymous whistle-blowers to expose when teams are pressuring players to play after concussions. That's totally worth tracking...

Did Nick Saban violate NCAA recruiting rules last week? Admittedly, the allegation comes from a message board for The U., but still: It looks like he might have committed a minor infraction. Bring on the NCAA! (Unless the NCAA thinks it has a vested interest in having Saban wildly succeed at a prestigious program like Bama's.)

Trent Green really wants out of KC and into Miami, leading to the question of whether the Dolphins are better off with Green-to-Ginn or Quinn-to-Whoever?

Super Bowl in 2011 will go to... Dallas: Because, as always, it's all about the money. (It's not really Dallas, of course. It's more like "North Texas." Woo!)

Stanley Cup: It'll be Anaheim vs. Ottawa for the Stanley Cup. OK, OK: Try to contain your enthusiasm. (You NHL-savvy commenters: Please educate the rest of us why this Cup matchup is worth following.)

Soccer: Milan-Liverpool in Champions League final today. Who ya got?

Frivolous: The Cubs are going to have a statue of "Mr. Cub," Ernie Banks, in front of Wrigley Field. That made me wonder how many teams -- across any sport -- have a single player who defines the franchise's history? Off the top of my head, it seems like most do.

Idol finale: Haven't really said ANYTHING about Idol this season, even though I do watch. (You do, too. Admit it.) Blake was totally screwed during last night's finale. That mandated "I'm Such a Star!" anthem simply isn't something he does well, and I'll bet producers wouldn't let him re-mix it with an up-tempo beat and beat-box opportunities. Meanwhile, it was perfect for Jordin. So I presume Jordin will win -- and it's sort of a win for sports fans, given her father, Philippi Sparks, was an NFL cornerback for a longer career than his daughter will have.

-- D.S.

Tuesday 05/22 A.M. Quickie:NBA Draft Lottery Eclipses Playoffs

LOTTERY RESULTS IN! Blazers win big (or do they -- seems like the Oden-vs-Durant debate isn't nearly as open-and-closed as mainstream commentators might suggest). Sonics win bigger (can't lose in the No. 2 spot this year). Hawks save themselves from having to give their pick to the Suns, but end up 3rd in a 2-horse race, with the only option screwing up yet another pick. Grizzlies and Celtics are the biggest losers, falling out of the Top 3 altogether. MORE IN THE A.M. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT ON IT ALL NIGHT.

NBA Draft Lottery: What does it say that tonight's NBA Draft Lottery is the biggest event of the NBA season, let alone the postseason?

It says that the NBA Playoffs this year have been pretty lame.

It says that the two talents at the top of the draft are potentially franchise-changers of the LeBron-Duncan variety – and that this draft is as deeply stocked with talent as any in NBA history. (Thank you, artificial restraint on talent!)

It says that David Stern's new age-limit has worked a little TOO well. Sure, there's increased hype for Oden and Durant (who would have gone 1-2 in LAST year's draft, BTW), but the unintended consequence of the age-limit is that there's SO much hype that the Lottery eclipses the playoffs.

As I've been saying for a while now, this Lottery is the most dramatic since the LeBron Lottery of 2003 – and perhaps the most impactful Lottery since the Duncan Lottery of 1997. In fact, I'd even say MORE impactful.

That's because there are TWO super-impact players: Ostensibly, center Greg Oden almost certainly will go first, just about no matter who gets the pick. Why? Just look at the Spurs.

But not since Michael Jordan has a player NOT taken first overall been as intriguing as Kevin Durant, who will be the No. 2 player taken... OK, if he doesn't bump Oden out of the No. 1 slot. (The Bucks, for example, have a 15.6 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick, and they would certainly take Durant, pairing him with C Andrew Bogut and SG Michael Redd.)

Durant will be the spectacular pro everyone says he will be, if – IF – he is in a position to be the No. 1 player on his team. The player I compare him to most -- as a versatile, outside-in, near-7-foot position-redefining freak -- is Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk wasn't The Man on the Mavs in his rookie season, but eventually, they built the team around him. If Durant isn't The Man on his new team immediately, you can be sure that whoever is (Paul Pierce? Ray Allen? Michael Redd? Joe Johnson?) will either eventually cede stardom -- or be moved out.

The bottom line: Not one but TWO teams will be radically transformed – on- and off-court – with the big "reveal" tomorrow night. You'll never see a GM who wins the No. 2 pick be as happy in your life.

Meanwhile, the next-biggest drama will be whether the Hawks get into the first three picks. Because if they don't, the Suns will get their pick, which could be as high as No. 4 (and no lower than 7). That would be the best example yet of "rich getting richer." And don't expect PHX to screw it up, like the Pistons did in 2003.

Finally, the third-biggest storyline is, appropriately, "Who's No. 3?" There's no shame in being the 3rd overall pick in a 2-superduperstar draft. Will it be Yi, the next Yao? Obviously, I am personally intrigued to speculate where Florida's Big Three (Horford, Brewer, Noah) might end up. I have seen both Brewer and Horford as high as No. 3, depending on team need at the slot. Oh, and here's some "What's so bad about the 3rd pick?" goodness, along with Horford love.

Here's how excited I am about tonight's Draft Lottery: I'm going to come out of live-blogging hibernation to live-blog the thing myself on Deadspin, right around 8:30 p.m. ET. Full coverage here tomorrow a.m. Feel free to drop by here tonight to weigh in early.

Pistons edge Cavs as LeBron chokes: Maybe that's too harsh. Maybe I should credit the Detroit D for holding LeBron to a playoff-low 10 points (5/15 FG). LeBron did add 10 rebounds and 9 assists, but why was he passing up the potential game-saving shot with 6 seconds to go? Because he knew he wasn't "on" for the night? Or because he didn't want to take the shot? (BTW: What good is LeBron's bulk if he can't muscle past wispy Tayshaun Prince?)

Vick Doggy Dogg: I'll let the lead of the latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution story say it all. "Three envelopes addressed to "M. Vick" were among evidence seized by police under the authority of a search warrant executed on the Virginia property owned by Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, according to documents obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Also seized in the search, authorized in late April in relation to organized dogfighting, was a black 3-ring binder containing "contracts" or copies of contracts."

Yankees beat Red Sox: Reading too much into this win as symbolism of a season not yet dead as critics claimed is as ridiculous as reading too much into the Yankees' slow start as symbolism of a season as dead as critics claimed.

(Related: Despite Jason Giambi's problems with his big biceps mouth, rumor has it (via the NY Post) that the Angels might want to trade for Giambi. Or is that just wishful thinking by Yankees partisans?

MLB Stud, Team: Indians, who improved to 17-4 at home with a win over the Mariners that was the make-up game for the "snow-out" game in April.

MLB Stud, Player: Carlos Quentin, who hit 2 HR and drove in the go-ahead run in the D'backs' 6-5 win over Colorado. This is the Quentin that everyone thought would show up this season. Early-season injuries had slowed his impact.

MLB Dud: The White Sox players who are apparently using radio-show appearances to rip each other. How team-friendly! Ozzie just wants the players to battle it out, UFC-style, in the locker room. How team-friendlier!

Chris Henry, All-Pro Dumbass: Maybe it'll turn out that his failed drug screening was a false positive. But, given his history, does he really deserve the benefit of the doubt?

Super Bowl 2011 host city: Indianapolis, Dallas and Glendale, AZ are in the mix, all making presentations to NFL owners today. (15 minute presentations... how is this not on TV? It's MADE for TV.) Dallas will have that new stadium, but apparently the transportation logistics aren't ideal. Indianapolis is a dome, but – y'know – it's Indianapolis. Glendale is great, but is already hosting the Super Bowl in 2008. These are the top three choices?

Know the Name: Larry Zierlein. He's the Steelers assistant who accidentally (I presume) forwarded an email with porn attached to team employees and their secretaries. What a test case for the Commish's new "Get Tough" crackdown. (Steelers personnel guy Doug Whaley was the one who originally forwarded Zierlein the email, giving new meaning to the title "Director of Personnel." Whaley should be punished, too.)

New Rockets coach Rick Adelman: Ahh, there's nothing that says "spring renewal" like the NBA's uninspiring recycling program for coaches.

Pats re-sign Junior Seau: Not bad for a guy who retired a year ago.

Lisa Leslie to miss WNBA season on maternity leave: That also makes her eligible to lose her scholarship at Clemson.

Boxing: Was George Foreman drugged before the legendary "Rumble in the Jungle?" That's what he claims in a new memoir, which smacks of sketchiness in an attempt to sell more books. Sure, it's a sensational claim – it's only the most high-profile moment in boxing history (up there with Louis beating Schmeling and Tyson biting Holyfield) – but I really want to know: WHAT ABOUT THE GRILLS?!

CFB: It's official. Arkansas stud QB Mitch Mustain will transfer to QB factory USC, with three years of eligibility left (after sitting out next season). He'll join high school teammate WR Damian Williams, who had already transferred to the Trojans.

New Varsity Dad post up this morning. Definitely moving quickly toward a full-blown launch of this new blog. (Here's the direct link to the story I posted about today. If you are a parent, it might make you choke up. Sort of like how you might have choked up during The Sopranos' scene between Tony and AJ by the pool.)

-- D.S.

Monday 05/21 A.M. Quickie:Putting the "Zzz" in Spurs-vs-Jazz

Update: Tony Parker and Eva Longoria call off the wedding? The Western Conference Finals finally have a sub-plot worth paying attention to. Props to SportsByBrooks for the link.

SpurZzzzz beat JazzZzz: I'm certainly not the first or only person to suggest that this series is a dud... is terrible for an already declining NBA... is one that no one is paying attention to. Here's the detail from Sunday that is most glaring:

Even Spurs fans don't care! They didn't sell out Sunday's playoff game. Admittedly, it's the first time that has happened to the franchise, but make no mistake: It's a very clear signal. (By the way, because of this apathy, please drop the Spurs from their perennial place in the Top 3 of the Ultimate Team Standings.)

Put me in Dan Steinberg's camp: The NBA isn't about winning titles as much as it is about entertainment. The Spurs aren't entertaining.

Forget stuff like "They just win" or "They win the 'right way'" or "Their stars are so humble" (hmm: seemingly). I'd argue they actually devalue the NBA title by winning it repeatedly without any flair. Apparently, their fans are so bored by it, they don't sell out the arena.

We are living through the "Duncan Dynasty," and it's the new Exhibit A imploding the theory that dynasties are good for sports. It certainly isn't good for the NBA. (Can it get worse? Yes: Spurs-Pistons in the NBA Finals. And the Spurs being the NBA's leading title contender for the next X number of years until Duncan retires.)

Deron Williams: 34 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter. His team might be headed to an early exit, but Williams has already clinched "Breakout Player of the Playoffs." Let's revisit that previous (non-)debate whether it was a mistake to pick Williams before Chris Paul.

Pistons-Cavs: I'll take the Pistons in 5, exposing LeBron as still having a long way to go before he's king of the East.

Ugh: Are we really back to another Yankees-Red Sox series?

MLB Stud: Randy Johnson, who had 10 Ks in 5.2 IP, leading the D'backs over the Pirates. Second straight start racking up a W (and many Ks).

MLB Stud, DL: Octavio Dotel, the Royals closer who has been on the DL all season, seems ready to return this week. Yes, it's the Royals, but it could have fantasy implications in your league.

MLB Dud: Andruw Jones, who struck out 5 times on Sunday, even after being dropped to 6th in the order. Remember when he was supposed to have a monster season in '07?

Joe Torre gets the dreaded vote of confidence: The Yankees manager described his conversation with George Steinbrenner this weekend: "Basically, it was all about support." Yes, if "basically" means "If we get to the August 1 and we're not in playoff contention, you're out."

Giambi's big mouth: MLB wants to talk to Giambi following his me-and-my-big-mouth interview last week about using steroids. So the way I understand it, MLB could give Giambi a suspension for 50 games if his admitting using steroids came after baseball decided to (finally) crack down. The more intriguing scenario is that the Yankees could use it as a pretense to void Giambi's contract. Tracking...

NFL (C)rap Sheet: Jets CB Justin Miller arrested on third-degree assault charges. While the Jets are bringing in everyone and their brother to mini-camp, better load up on DBs, too.

Meanwhile, ProFootballTalk breaks the story that an NFL assistant coach inadvertently sent a porn email to all the league GMs, their secretaries and, apparently, the Commissioner.

OK: It is totally irresponsible of PFT to NOT tell us the name of the coach. What good is it to be a Web site that traffics in the best NFL rumors if you won't name names? (Hell, I'd settle for a Page Six-style blind item obliquely providing clues to the guy's identity.)

If it's all true, it'll be interesting to see if the Commissioner cracks down, to make an example showing that his "Get Tough" policy goes for league employees and front-office types, as well as players.

Stanley Cup: Impressive gritty comeback win by the Ducks in Detroit to take what could be a decisive 3-2 lead in their Western finals series. (If you think that Spurs-Pistons doesn't move the needle with casual sports fans, try Anaheim-Ottawa.)

Oh, and speaking of NHL, this is a must-read. The fact that the sport's biggest drama is that an OT playoff game was bumped on national TV for pre-game coverage of a horse race is why the sport finds itself in the precarious position it is in now. They've already done a nice job of alienating the casual fans; now they're going for the clean sweep by alienating the avid fans, too. Staggering.

Horse Racing: Will Street Sense skip Belmont? I understand the reasoning, now that there's no Triple Crown potential (it's the reason most fans won't watch either), but can't they bill it as a rubber match between Street Sense and Curlin?

Tennis: Federer beats Nadal... on clay! Notable because it ends Nadal's 81-match winning streak on the surface – and perhaps foreshadows Federer finally breaking through at the French Open en route to the Grand Slam that would secure his place as the greatest tennis player ever.

NCAA LAX: Duke cruises past UNC into the Final Four, where you just KNOW that the irony of the situation alone ensures a title. Meanwhile, party-crashing Delaware beat fellow P-C UMBC to join the traditional powers at the Final Four.

UPDATE: New Varsity Dad post up now. (44 posts in, perhaps it's time to go from "soft launch" to "yes, the thing is officially launched.")

Miss the weekend's "Very" Quickies?
Sunday
Saturday

-- D.S.

Sunday 05/20 A.M. (Very) Quickie:Street Sense Ruins Triple Crown Season

Curlin edges Street Sense at Preakness: Even though horse racing lost the only reason to pay attention to the Belmont (chance for Triple Crown winner) when Curlin beat Street Sense in the Preakness, it was a phenomenal race, even for non-racing fans. I think enjoyment of a Triple Crown horse race improves greatly when you are at a race-watching party, keeping your 1-year-old out of the mint juleps.

FA Cup final: Drogba! Chelsea ekes 1-0 win over Man U in extra time thanks to the striker's goal. And that's why they pay him the (very) big bucks.

NBA Conference Finals: I have a hard time seeing the Jazz derailing the Duncan Dynasty. Similarly, I have a hard time seeing the Cavs upending the Pistons, who are working a bit of a conference-specific dynasty of their own. Spurs-Pistons in the Finals? Yikes: Call me when THAT's over. (More important: Tuesday is Lottery Night!)

MLB Stud: Dice-K, who handcuffed the Braves before the two teams split a double-header. (OK: I picked the wrong SP stud of the two games. Props to Smoltz. It's not like Dice-K doesn't get enough pub already...)

MLB Dud: The Yankees. Another rookie pitcher, another injury. Money might be able to buy you happiness, but it can't necessarily buy you health.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: The Sabres' glorious run is over, dispatched by the Ottawa Senators. I actually feel for the fans in Buffalo, whose team was recently named the "Ultimate Sports Franchise," a tabulation that absolutely must be re-jiggered after this.

NASCAR: Whither Dale Jr? Apparently, Hendrick Motorsports doesn't want sports' top free agent of 2007 (and perhaps the decade). I appreciate why Junior wants to stay with a Chevy-based team (all-American brand et al), but wouldn't it be a coup for, say, Toyota to offer him some over-the-top offer to jump to one of their teams? What price, legitimacy?

NCAA LAX: It seems inevitable that Duke will win the men's tournament. As for the women, obviously I'm rooting for Northwestern. (And don't even start with the "But you dropped Northwestern for Florida!" crap. I totally reject that, particularly in the non-revenue sports.)

Floyd Landis: OK, well HE insists he didn't cheat. Do you believe him?

-- D.S.

Saturday 05/19 A.M. (Very) Quickie:Spurs, Cavs, Clemens Advance

Spurs close out Suns: You have until tomorrow to get over any lingering "The Suns were robbed in Game 5!" resentment. It's simply not worth the energy or outrage at this point.

The Spurs advancing isn't particularly good for the NBA, but there's no debate: Of the four teams remaining, they are the clear favorite to win (another) NBA title, extending the already-impressive Duncan Dynasty.

(What next for Phoenix: Spend the offseason teaching their star players not to leave the bench in the event of an on-court scuffle. Aside from that, enjoy what will likely be the No. 4 overall pick in the draft. Is there a designated Spur-killer in the bunch? Al Horford is the closest thing to it, plus he fits amazingly in the Suns' offense.)

Cavs close out Nets: Progress is progress for LeBron. Another year, another step closer to the Finals. I don't expect that Cleveland will be able to give the Pistons as tough of a series as they did a year ago.

(What next for New Jersey: What to do about the Big Three. I'd let Vince Carter go, ideally in a sign-and-trade. If they want to make one more run, I'd keep Jason Kidd, given his performance in the playoffs. Then I'd dangle Richard Jefferson for Kevin Garnett, in a win-win for both teams/players. If the Nets want to start over, I'd lose Carter -- sign-n-trade, if possible -- and Kidd -- trade to the Kobe-pressured Lakers for coveted teen C Andrew Bynum -- and rebuild around Jefferson now, freeing cap room for LeBron later.)

Vick Watch: Congress getting involved in the dog-fighting scandal can't be good for anyone, least of all Vick or the NFL.

Clemens Watch: Throws 58 pitches for Yankees A Tampa. T-minus what... like 10 days?

MLB Stud: Lake Elsinore, a Padres affiliate, who routed Red Sox affiliate Lancaster, 30-0 in a minor-league game. Mercy rule!

Preakness: Anyone but Street Sense! (Actually, that's totally anti-Quickie to say that. The only way horse racing has any traction whatsoever is if there is Triple Crown momentum a la Funny Cide.)

-- D.S.

Friday 05/18 A.M. Quickie:Suns, Pistons, Preakness, Clemens, More

D'oh! Interleague! How could I neglect to mention it below?! Perhaps because some of the novelty has worn off... and I live in the home of the Subway Series, for god's sake...

The best news for those rooting for the Suns? Phoenix's players aren't whining about the circumstances they are in heading into Game 6. I like that focus: They'll rally around their returning players and an us-against-the-world mentality on the road, and force a Game 7.

Pistons KO Bulls: No matter who wins the Cavs-Nets series, the Pistons have to be the favorite to advance to the NBA Finals.

It's the fifth year in a row that Detroit has reached the East finals, which strikes me as resembling some sort of conference dynasty, not that we keep track of things like that. (Although we certainly pay homage to division-title streaks, like the Braves up until last year.)

As for the Bulls, this can be chalked up to a "growth" experience for a young team. They'll be an even better contender in '08. (One suggestion: Lose the Skiles-style grind philosophy and adopt a little more Nellie-style free-flow.)

Jason Giambi says baseball – owners, players, everyone – should have apologized to fans years ago for the sport's PED problem.

That strikes me as slightly disingenuous from a guy who would never have admitted to cheating if it wasn't forced out of him.

I'm all for 'fessing up and taking responsibility, but any apology would ring hollow if it wasn't coupled with decisive and effective action.

MLB's problem is that PED cheating has been so widespread for so long -- so pervasive – that I'm not quite sure when that apology would have been appropriate... or the depth to which that apology should go.

I'm curious whether Giambi's new teammate thinks he (or baseball) owes anyone an apology. Speaking of which...

MLB Stud: Kyle Farnsworth. The Yankees reliever called out the Roger Clemens "Family Plan" clause in Rocket's contract.

MLB Dud: Josh Beckett. As foreshadowed yesterday, the Red Sox' 7-0 ace was sent to the DL with "Beckettypical" finger problems.

(But the Red Sox get a "stud," too, for sweeping the Tigers in a double-header. Still: How will the absence of Beckett affect the best team in the AL, and does it foreshadow larger problems down the road?)

Hank Aaron wants to attract more black kids to play baseball. Great idea, but I'm waiting for the compelling plan as to HOW.

Preakness: Is it too morbid that when I think of the Preakness, I think of Barbaro's injury last year – and not Street Sense's potential? (My "Anyone But Street Sense" pick: Hard Spun. And if I was picking by "Best Name": Mint Slewlep, followed by Flying First Class.

Floyd Landis Scandal: So Greg LeMond was going to testify against Landis, and apparently the Landis camp was going to use the little-known history of LeMond's sexual abuse as a child to try to intimidate him from talking. As if this story couldn't go further down the rabbit hole.

NCAA LAX quarters: Delaware vs. UMBC ensures that at least one non-traditional party-crasher will make the Final Four. (That said, the regional dominance continues.)

Have a great weekend everyone. I should have typical "Very" Quickie posts on both mornings.

-- D.S.

Thursday 05/17 A.M. Quickie:Suns Short, LeBron Loses, Hamels, Vick, More

Suns fall short in Game 5: There's no question -- Amare and Boris would have been worth at least the few extra points needed for the Suns to beat the Spurs in Phoenix, not lose the game 88-85.

Here's the X-factor for Game 6: Can the same "outrage" that nearly earned Phoenix an upset in Game 5 fuel the Suns on the road when Amare and Boris return to the lineup? I think it can, setting up an epic Game 7.

Meanwhile, Robert Horry -- who will not be playing in Game 6 -- says Steve Nash flopped. One man's flop is another man's "court-savvy."

NBA Must-Read: The Big Picture interviews Henry Abbott. (Zach does the best interviews with sports bloggers that you'll find. Always interesting and illuminating. And Henry is the sports-blog universe's resident "crossover" star.)

Speaking of Henry, he pulled the best quotes from David Stern's radio interview with Dan Patrick, which was the biggest ass-whooping of the playoffs so far. Rhetorically, DP is no match for Stern. Very few people are. Here's the link. Bottom line: Stern's point is very similar to the one I made yesterday -- primary blame goes to Amare and Boris for breaking the rule they should have known would bite them, their team and their playoff chances.

Nets beat Cavs in Cleveland in ugly Game 5: How have the Nets turned their series with the Cavs into a six-game minimum, with a chance to send it to 7 with a totally possible win in New Jersey in Game 6? Last night, they held LeBron in check: 20 points on 5/14 FG shooting and 5 assists. They needed every bit of that D, given Jersey's 6 4th-quarter points. Ugh.

Bulls-Pistons, Game 6: I'm predicting the atmosphere at the United Center in Chicago tonight for Game 6 between the Bulls and Pistons will be as rowdy as it has been since Michael Jordan left town.

MLB Stud, Active: Cole Hamels, who worked a perfect game into the 7th and finished with a 2-hitter in 8 IP. Best young LHP in MLB?

MLB Stud, Retired: Hank Aaron, who will get a bigger role with the Atlanta Braves following their sale from Time Warner to Liberty Media.

MLB Stud, Team: The Devil Rays, who notched another win at Disney World. Novelty = Wins! (Seriously, at this rate, they should consider a full-time relocation.)

MLB Dud: Josh Beckett, who will miss his start tomorrow with a skin issue on his finger. (Is that the same as a blister?)

Is there a videotape of Michael Vick watching dog-fighting at his house? Oh please oh please oh please let this exist. If you happen to have it, please upload to YouTube promptly. Thank you.

(Meanwhile, between prosecutors and investigators, the pressure is tightening around Vick. The questions remain the same as they were when the story first broke: (a) Will he be charged/convicted? (b) What will "Get-Tough" Goodell do about it, particularly given that Vick is one of the league's most popular players?)

Will the NFL play with European fans? Ticket sales for the London game are a good proxy: 40,000 sold in 90 minutes. Um, yes: The NFL playing in Europe will work.

Oh, NOW Brett Favre is going to be at Packers mini-camp. As usual, he is all about messing with the minds of his team execs and his fans.

Stephon Marbury to appear on Oprah tomorrow: The biggest affirmation yet of his $14.98 sneaker program, which has single-handedly turned Marbury from self-absorbed athlete-jerk into magnanimous philanthropist. You can still dislike the player, but I have yet to hear of anyone who disapproves of what he's doing with his shoes.

Is Jim Buss ripping Phil Jackson about the coach's ripping players in the media or more about the coach dating his sister, Jeannie?

Indy 500: Danica had the fastest lap. The Danica subplot remains the biggest reason to tune in to the race.

Preakness: Street Sense is a 7-5 favorite. Come on: You've got to pick a different horse.

NBA Draft: Brandan Wright hires an agent, which means there's no turning back to UNC. Not that he was ever going to, given his locked position within the Top 5 picks.

Kentucky out-recruits Florida for prep stud PF Patrick Patterson, the biggest signal yet that new Cats coach Billy Gillispie has UK back on track, brand-wise.

Patterson will step on campus as the best power forward in the SEC and one of the top 3 PFs in the country next year, along with fellow one-and-done frosh Michael Beasley and Tyler "Great in College, No NBA Future" Hansbrough.

Hope Kentucky fans will enjoy Patterson for the one year they have him before he jumps to the NBA. (Does that sound like a Florida fan bitter at being snubbed? I'll 'fess up to being disappointed, at the very least...)

Neal Pollack + Paul Shirley = Must-Read.

Navel-gazing: I don't check my blog traffic as relentlessly as others, but I noticed that Monday, I got more page views than I had in a month -- and that was with my unusual absence all day from posting. At that rate, I will find the most blog success by simply not posting anything. Sheesh...

-- D.S.

Wednesday 05/16 A.M. Quickie:Suspensions a GOOD Thing for NBA?

Suns-Spurs Suspension Mania! OK, so I appreciate that it was the Spurs' Robert Horry who was the instigator of the Game 4 game-ending goonery.

And I appreciate that it was the "victimized" Suns who got obliterated by the NBA's Game 5 suspensions for Amare and Boris Diaw.

And I appreciate that the NBA's ruling effectively guts Phoenix's chances to win the always-"pivotal" Game 5 (in Phoenix, no less).

And I appreciate that, consequently, the NBA's decision could cost the Suns the series.

And I appreciate that it could ultimately hurt the NBA itself (if you believe, as I do, that the Suns' style of play represents one of the only things that might slow down the NBA's otherwise inevitable decline from the legacy of its "star system.")

And yet... it's one of the easiest rules to remember (and follow) in the NBA: In the event of an on-court scuffle, don't leave the bench.

It's pretty simple, really. It's not like anyone thinks the rule itself is a dumb one. What I'm hearing is that people think that rules (and punishments) should be applied selectively. That, of course, generally defeats the purpose of rules. (Judging "intent" is a brutal game that the NBA will almost always lose.)

Expediency is a tempting reason to ignore the rule, but it also ultimately undermines the integrity of the game more than ruining the Suns' chances of toppling the Spurs.

If you want to blame someone, don't blame the NBA, which had little choice. Blame the players, who made the wrong choice. I don't care that their leader was brutalized by an opposing player. Be SMART about it: Don't leave the bench; deliver some on-court payback later in the game (or, if that's not possible, the next game). And be sure that it's a bench player doing it, not the team's all-NBA big man or most versatile player.

Besides: I wouldn't write the Suns off for Game 5 just yet. Combined with the home-court hype, being forced to be innovative -- a Mike D'Antoni specialty -- might befuddle the Spurs.

And watch out for the NBA to ensure officiating that "balances" out the negative p.r. from suspending Amare and Diaw. In fact, between tactical novelty, home-court hysterics and sympathetic officiating, I'll take the Suns to win.

P.S.: I want to point you to my friend and fellow blogger Henry Abbott at True Hoop, who develops and delivers the most reasoned (and influential) wisdom on all things NBA. Start with this most recent post. Then this one, which came earlier. UPDATE: Here's a post today, even better.

P.P.S.: Aha...the inevitable hedge. It's not that I don't see the reasoning of those who disagree with the ruling or who point out the NBA's own inconsistencies in its application. It's just that the most direct responsibility can be laid at the feet -- literally -- of the two players who broke the simple rule, despite (I assume) knowing all about it and the potential risks involved.

It's the end for the Warriors and the three weeks of mania they inspired from their die-hard fan base and NBA fans everywhere who craved something... different.

Golden State's first-round upset win over the Mavericks will go down as the greatest in NBA playoff history; their second-round flame-out will be a footnote.

The team's mercurial style was behind its win AND its loss: Those wins against the Mavs were inspired; last night's ugliness was not.

But hopefully, it will inspire other teams to try to be more creative – and raise expectations among fans everywhere that despite roster limitations, innovative coaching can turn freaks into a funhouse ride.

Bulls crush Pistons in Detroit, bringing the series to 3-2 with Game 6 in Chicago and all the momentum. Even if the Bulls got this series to 7 games, which they might, I wasn't sold on their ability to beat the Pistons in Detroit... um, until now.

Lance Berkman says the Home Run Title is "tainted" if Bonds earned it. I wonder how Berkman feels about his boy, Jeff Bagwell and his 449 home runs, many of which helped Berkman's Astros immensely. I'm not accusing, I'm just saying...

MLB Stud, Player: Jesse Litch, who made his MLB debut on his dad's birthday and went 8.2 IP, allowing 1 ER and 4 H. (Thanks to reader RL for the nomination.)

MLB Stud, Team: The Devil Rays, who played their first game at Disneyworld, which was one of the smartest and most innovative marketing decisions of the sports year. (And they won, too!)

MLB Dud: Lastings Milledge (aka "L Millz"), for joining in on a misogynistic rap song titled "Bend Ya Knees."

Clemens Watch: Will the Yankees have Clemens pitch before the end of May, side-stepping a possible Rocket debut at Fenway?

(While I would appreciate avoiding the media hysteria around THAT one, it seems like it would deny us one of the more dramatic moments of the season.)

Indy 500: The Fan-Unfriendly Move of the Year goes to the Colts. The team won't let No. 18 driver Jimmy Kite paint his car Colts blue colors with the words "Go Colts." But they'll let Peyton Manning be the race's official starter. I mean, for gosh sakes: It's the Indianapolis 500! Kite wants to give free boosterism to the Colts! (He's even No. 18!)

Vick Problems: Virginia prosecutors will meet with investigators to discuss the Vick case. Cue ominous legal-thriller music...

Speaking of NFL problems, Tank Johnson meets with Roget Goodell today. Cue ominous horror-thriller music...

In more positive NFL news, Jon Kitna loves Calvin Johnson. But really, though: Who wouldn't? (Oh, perhaps someone who thinks his name is "Charles," not "Calvin.")

NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt Jr was docked 100 points and his crew chief was suspended for cheating. It's a nice reminder that the outrage standard for cheating in, say, auto racing (and – cough – the NFL) is so much higher than in baseball. Imagine the brouhaha if the greatest player in baseball was busted for (or even simply accused of) cheating. Oh, wait...

College hoops: Patrick Patterson, the last remaining uncommitted top prep player, will make his college choice today at a press conference at 3:45. He's down to Florida and Kentucky... naturally...

Video Games: A new version of Tecmo Bowl is being released in 2008. Reminds me of one of my favorite T-shirts of all time, courtesy of No Mas.

-- D.S.

Tuesday 05/15 A.M. Quickie:Suns Get Mad, Then They Get Even

Suns tie up series with Spurs 2-2 with gutsy win in San Antonio: I love how chippy this series has gotten. You always knew the Spurs were a little nasty; the Suns, however, always had that soft "Euro-style" tag.

Not anymore: They have now shown they are ready to mix it up, which is a prerequisite for an NBA champ. (Perhaps a little too much: Will Amare and Boris be suspended for Game 5 for leaving the bench after Horry's "hip-check" on Nash? "Hip-check" being Nash's word for it. I like it: Hockey references imply the goonishness that defines the Spurs' game.)

Cavs on brink of eliminating the Nets: Up 3-1 after win in New Jersey last night. Cavs-Pistons for the East title? Aside from the fact that Detroit is going to demolish Cleveland, sounds like the best(-remaining)-case scenario for the East playofzzzzz...

Does the Warriors' wild ride end tonight in Utah? Seemingly, the Jazz wouldn't want to take any chances by losing tonight – if any team can reel off three straight wins, including two on the road, to come from behind 3-1 to win a seven-game series, it feels like this Golden State team could do it.

Dirk getting his MVP award today: Try to stifle your laughter and/or derision and/or "time on his hands" jokes...

NFL return idol Devin Hester is moving to offense, which probably should have happened before the playoffs last season, rather than this offseason. Everyone will agree it's a great move... right up until his inevitable injury and the inevitable recriminations of hindsight.

(The real question: Despite his inexperience as a WR, how many of you will take a chance on him with a fantasy pick, given his opportunities for points both on offense and special teams?)

MLB Stud: Jason Bergmann, the back-of-rotation Nats starting pitcher who had 10 Ks and 2 hits in 8-plus IP in a DC win over the Braves, the Nats' fourth straight win.

(Oh, I'm a day late on this, but two words: Jack. Cust.)

(I'm also late on the Ken Griffey Jockstrap thing, which is hilarious and awesome, but here's the original link. There's been a ton of blogger pick-up on this, obviously.)

MLB Dud: Kevin Millwood. In his first start off the DL, allowed 4 runs, 3 hits and 3 walks, while recording only 5 outs. Adding injury to insult, he re-aggravated his hamstring injury ("re-aggravate" sounding like code for "handy excuse for sucking.")

Matsuzaka Watch: Throws first complete game of his season (5K, 0BB, 6H), a big win over the Tigers in the first of a four-game series.

(But that's not nearly as impressive as Greg Maddux throwing a complete game of his own: A Maddux-throwback 96-pitch 5-hitter. Wow. You can have Clemens; pound for pound, I'll take Maddux as the greatest pitcher of our era.)

The MLB postseason schedule gets rejiggered: The World Series is being pushed back a day, meaning Game 7 could come in November.

But the bigger impact might be the extra day of rest between games 4 and 5 of the divisional round and LCS rounds, making for interesting potential strategy decisions for managers regarding starting pitching.

NHL: The Sabres miracle is nearly kaput. Buffalo is down 3-0 to Ottawa in the East finals. That's as good as over. Sorry, Buffalo fans. Great ride this season, but – as always – ultimately disappointment rules.

Hard to understand how the franchise can retain its No. 1 ranking in "Fan Satisfaction" (or whatever it was called) after this. That's too bad, because it was the only thing Buffalo had finished No. 1 in in a long time.

Brett Favre will miss Packers mini-camp to attend his daughter's graduation. (If "daughter's graduation" means "doesn't want to deal with the stress of media asking if he REALLY wanted out of Green Bay.")

T.O. trashes Tuna: Really, are you surprised... at all? He must have been unhappy that Favre was getting all the attention.

Jermaine O'Neal to the Knicks? That's what he wants, according to Stephen Jackson. Would he make the Knicks a contender in the East? Not necessarily (particularly given the pieces the Knicks would have to give up to get him). But would he make them a playoff team? Yes.

As we get ready for next Tuesday's NBA Draft Lottery – the most high-profile Lottery since the LeBron Lottery and arguably the biggest since the Ewing Lottery – here's a phenomenal bit of obsession: A Celtics writer posted all 199 Ping-Pong ball combinations that would result in the C's winning the Lottery. (Frankly, all they have to do is win the 1st OR 2nd pick. Hell, it's less pressure to get the No. 2 pick and simply take whoever the top team DOESN'T take, between Oden and Durant.)

I know the NBA loves its envelope-opening drama, but why wouldn't the NBA put the live Ping-Pong ball selection on TV instead? Whatever drama they lose from counting backward from 13 teams is more than made up for by the "Let's-See-Tonight's-Winning-Numbers" live drama of watching Ping-Pong balls pop up and eliminating teams with each new digit. If there was ever a draft to experiment with this, it's this one.

High school stud PG Jai Lucas picks Florida over Kentucky: Apparently, he liked the idea of instant playing time on the two-time defending champs filling in for the departed Taurean Green more than the idea of rehabbing Kentucky's program, which – if anything – is already guard-heavy.

(Remains to be seen where Lucas buddy PF Patrick Patterson announces his commitment tomorrow. Will it be a sweep for Florida? Patterson is also considering Kentucky and Duke.)

Marketing makeover: The Mid-Continent Conference (The "Mid-Con") is changing its name to the "Summit League." (Reminiscent of when the Midwestern Collegiate Conference changed its name to the "Horizon League." So chalk up the end of another era of a blandly named, brand-absent college hoops conference.)

How many of you believe that Missouri's decision to fire its openly gay lacrosse coach was "performance-related" and not because of his sexuality? He had eight straight winning seasons before his first losing season this year.

Georgia women's golf coach Todd McCorkle resigns after inappropriate behavior. Here's the money quote: "I have learned through this experience that I must be 100 percent professional at all times." You'd think making sexually loaded comments to your players – and apparently screening Paris Hilton's sex video to them – would clear the original bar, but apparently not.

Happy One-Year Anniversary to Awful Announcing. (Given the explosion of sports blogs over the past year, you're going to be seeing a lot of 1-year anniversary announcements over the next few months.)

-- D.S.

Monday Quickie Coming Later Today

EARLIER: Sorry for the unexpected and unusual delay this a.m. Will post when I can.

WAY LATER:
Warriors down 3-1 to Jazz after losing first home game of playoffs: As I said after the Game 2 loss, the same thing you loved about this team a week ago after they vanquished Dallas is the thing that implodes them in losses like last night.

Brett Favre: Trade Me! (Or maybe not): I hope this he-said-he-denied "trade me!" finally exposes Favre once and for all as not worth the idolatry. Maybe this will finally inspire the Packers to do what's best for the team, not Favre.

MLB Mother's Day Stud: Fred Lewis, hits for the cycle (a present for mom) and leads the Giants to a 15-2 win over Colorado.

The most unlikely title of the year: "Phil Mickelson: Ultimate Playa"

NBA Exec of the Year: Bryan Colangelo. Saw this coming before the season started. He's the best exec in the NBA, and he has a second E.O.Y. award ('04-05 PHX) to prove it. Hopefully, his innovative international methods -- which triggered one of the most impressive one-season turnarounds in NBA history -- will inspire other teams' execs. (Either that, or pressure them. I don't care which. Colangelo shows fans that it can be done quickly and relatively easily, and they should hold their own team's GMs to a similar standard.)

Again, sorry about the delayed post today.

-- D.S.

Sunday 05/13 AM (Very) Quickie

Happy Mother's Day!

Spurs go up 2-1 with Game 3 win in San Antonio. Does that effectively make Game 4 a must-win game for the Suns?

Nets show up at home and win Game 3 against the Cavs. Putting the "Three" into the "Big Three." (Or maybe that's putting the "Big" into the "Big Three." Either way...)

MLB Stud: Brewers, who with a win Saturday turned Sunday's game vs. the Mets at Shea into a rubber match between the two best teams in the NL, battling for early-season supremacy.

MLB Dud: Ryan Howard to the DL: Is there a "Face of Baseball" curse I should know about?

Who is this kid leading The Players?

Senators beat Sabres in 2OT to take 2-0 lead in Eastern Conference finals. Ack! Could the Buffalo Miracle be ending?

Bode Miller quits US Ski team: Like you didn't see this coming?

NCAA LAX: So how all-time huge would the irony be if Duke won the whole thing?

Must-see video: If you haven't yet, be sure to catch Baron Davis' dunk over Kirilenko from Game 3 on Friday night, the signature moment of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. Game 4 today!

Now, go be nice to all the moms in your life...

-- D.S.

Saturday 05/12 A.M. (Very) Quickie

Warriors enjoy home cookin', rout Jazz: Here's what I'm stuck on -- why has the NBA not made the Warriors (arguably the most telegenic team left in the playoffs) their showcase TV team? Like: Where's the ABC Sunday afternoon slot seen across the country? Why hide this team behind late start-times? This is the story of the year in the NBA -- snatching the game back from the "star system" (though Baron Davis has catapulted himself into stardom) and giving hope to all of the non-contenders out there that a little imagination can go a long way.

Ricky Williams tests positive for pot: You can only shake your head at this point. So close to reinstatement, he basically smokes it away. I'm perfectly willing to call him an addict (and suggest he receive treatment as such), but it's pretty pathetic to see him devolve (again).

Tiger smacks down Rowr-y: "If I remember the quote correctly, he said he likes the new Tiger. I figure I've won nine of 12, and I've won three times this year — the same amount he's won in his career. So, I like the new Tiger as well." Tiger's trash-talk would have an eensy bit more oomph if he wasn't barely making the cut at Sawgrass.

MLB Stud: Jake Peavy, the best pitcher in the NL. He had 10 Ks, which is badass enough until you find out it's his fourth straight game with at least 10 Ks. Now THAT is badass.

MLB Dud: Roy Halladay out six weeks with appendicitis.

All prepped for Mother's Day yet? (Totally unrelated... new Varsity Dad post up, for those following that blog. Seriously: At what point does the inertia of a "soft launch" simply morph into "launch?")

-- D.S.

Friday 05/11 A.M. Quickie:Moms, Dirk, DEI, Pac-Man, More

Happy Mother's Day! Up until this year, I have only experienced Mother's Day as a son of a mom and grandson of a grandma, not as the spouse of a mom. Maybe it's new parenthood, but I have a new appreciation and enthusiasm for the holiday.

Be (especially) nice to the moms this weekend: They deserve it. Anyone doing anything particularly cool (or sports-related) to celebrate? (And keep your eye out for the awesome pink bats being used by MLB on Sunday, one of the greatest promotions in baseball history.)

Dirk Nowitzki as NBA MVP is totally laughable, given the result of the first-round of the playoffs. I'll say it again, and it's very simple:

Naming a season's MVP solely from the regular season is as counter-intuitive as naming a champ solely from the team with the best regular season record.

LeBron snubbed for All-NBA: Now THAT was a shocker. Nash, Amare, Kobe, Dirk and Duncan made it. I find it hard to grasp that "experts" can't agree that LeBron is one of the Top 5 players in the league. (You know what this is, don't you? The LeBacklash, in its most potent form.)

My usual call for awards transparency: I would like to see the complete ballots of the 129-member panel, so we can see which specific 65 voters didn't think LeBron was first-team All-NBA.

My All-NBA First Team: Nash, Kobe, Dirk, Bosh, LeBron. Second Team: Duncan, Amare, Arenas, Yao, KG.

Pistons go up 3-0 on Bulls, even after Chicago held a 19-point 3rd-quarter lead at home. It's not just that the series is o-v-e-r, but the Bulls have been completely obliterated in the process. If they are the Baby Bulls, this was their bris. Maybe this rite of passage – every two decades or so, a Bulls team has to get pummeled by the Pistons en route to a title a few years later – will make them stronger. Or maybe it exposes them as the "paper bull" the team really is.

Suns-Spurs intrigue: Amare says Bruce Bowen is dirty. Really? This is what goes for "scandal" these days? The scandal would be: Who DOESN'T think Bowen plays dirty?

MLB Stud: The Indians, who got permission from MLB to wear Larry Doby's No. 14 on August 10. Every member of the team will wear the number in tribute to the AL's first black player.

MLB Dud: The Blue Jays, whose lost season found its ultimate symbolism when pricey closer BJ Ryan underwent season-ending elbow surgery.

Yankees: Freedom-loving or -hating? I did not know this until it was in the paper and subsequently covered by blogs: Yankee Stadium won't let fans leave their seats during "God Bless America" in the 7th inning. Because nothing honors our unique and cherished brand of American "freedom" like "don't effing move."

In the hierarchy of American values, your presumptuous and elitist perception of my lack of patriotism does not trump my freedom to go to the bathroom or concession stand during the middle of an inning of a baseball game. (h/t: Deadspin | Fanhouse)

MLB Weekend: Who had "Brewers-Mets" as the biggest series of the season so far when you were looking at the schedule in March?

MLB Steroids: Claiming privacy, MLB players won't agree to let George Mitchell have their medical records. It's not outrageous, and it's not paranoid to question whether those records – connected with other testing – would be leaked to the media by the Mitchell group.

Rory Sabbatini disses Tiger: "Rowr-y" claims the Man is "as beatable as ever," adding he'd want to take him on during Sunday's final round.

I appreciate bold talk as a way of making the radar (and you always want to punch up a class), and I refuse to sit here and go "Oooh: Tiger's gonna whip your ass for that one!"

Maybe he will, but I don't mind seeing a little "dispute" put into the "undisputed king" of golf. "Undisputed" anything is boring.

(Meanwhile, Tiger didn't have a single birdie in the entire round for the first time in four years. Now THAT sounds like a streak.)

NFL: Pacman Jones meets with Roger Goodell today to appeal Goodell's punishment of a season-long suspension of Jones.

Jones has a point: Based on previous punishments, this one seems unusually harsh. I appreciate that Goodell wants a crackdown on off-field behavior problems, but the decision to put all the weight on Jones seems arbitrary in its timing and severity.

(By the way, if you haven't seen the lawyers' document listing all of the NFL off-field infractions going back... a long time... you've got to head over to Deadspin to see it. Amazing stuff, and it truly backs up Jones' "unfairly unprecedented" claim.)

T.O. won't be at mini-camp: What, like you're surprised?

Falcons owner Arthur Blank was "stern" in a meeting with Michael Vick: What, like you're surprised?

Dale Junior leaving DEI, the day after: Scroll down to the post belo for a longer take. But I got an appropriately brilliant response from CNBC's Darren Rovell, who said the most apt comparison was that it was like Steve Jobs leaving Apple.

Landis offered deal to snitch on Lance: Floyd Landis says the USADA offered him a cakewalk punishment if he'd give them the goods on Armstrong. Now THAT's messed-up.

Again, happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there.

-- D.S.

Dale Earnhardt Junior Leaving DEI

Junior leaving DEI: I was trying to think of an appropriate analogy among the other major sports, so non-NASCAR fans might appreciate the hugeness of this situation.

Here's the criteria: (1) Most popular athlete in the sport. (2) Leaving a team synonymous with his identity (if not his name). (3) Becoming a free agent and definitively moving on to a new team.

Is it overstatement to say it would be like Michael Jordan leaving the Bulls in 1996, like Cal Ripken leaving the Orioles in 1991 or like Brett Favre leaving the Packers in 1997? I suppose the closest thing is Wayne Gretzky leaving the Oilers for Los Angeles.

But given that those players left team sports – and that NASCAR is inherently a sport of individual stars – this is arguably even bigger than if the situation involved those names listed above.

Again: You don't have to be a NASCAR fan to understand how big this is.

-- D.S.

(Can you believe it: A late-afternoon post about NASCAR?)

Thursday 05/10 A.M. Quickie:Warriors, Fisher, Schilling, Sawgrass, More

Feel-good Warriors down O-2 after OT loss in Utah: As a bandwagon Golden State fan, I'm not worried... yet. They could have won either game in Utah; that bodes well for their chances to take both games at home in Oakland and turn this into a very winnable best-of-3.

Were there mental mistakes near the end of Game 2? Sure: Missed free throws, turnovers. But you can't support the frenetic style one day, then curse it when its inevitable downside rears up and bites them in the ass.

The unlikely star of the game? Derek Fisher, who missed the first three quarters of the game due to a family emergency, but scored all five of his points in OT.

Deny: Jerry Hairston says he's no steroid guy.
Deny: Pat Riley says he isn't trading Shaq.
Deny: Jermaine O'Neal says he doesn't want out of Indy.

Yet another reason why Curt Schilling's blog is pretty amazing and transforming the way athletes deal with the media and fans: A day after he created a firestorm with a radio interview totally bashing Barry Bonds, Schilling went to his blog to issue a long, sincere-sounding apology for it. He didn't have to go to the media to get his message out. He was able to be ultra-reactive, on his own timetable. Fascinating.

Terry Francona wants Schilling to STFU (to the extent the player can). We can agree that Schilling weighing in on... everything... can be hit-or-miss, but his blog has been the most interesting sports-media story of the season – and, again, if he can use the blog to make nuanced arguments, rather than find himself reduced to sensationalistic sound bites by radio and newspaper hyenas, then isn't the blog a good thing?

Wah! Roger Clemens is upset that Phil Garner was pointing out that Clemens' contract's "freedom clause" was used for things other than spending time with his family? Boo-freaking-hoo for Clemens. If you're going to demand unique treatment, you're going to have to accept unique criticism. His freedom clause doesn't bother me; his griping about people complaining about it does.

MLB clubhouse alcohol ban reaches 13 teams: The Brewers, for one, are not going to remove alcohol from the clubhouse. It's the other side of the argument: Adults can make their own decisions, provided they aren't abusing the privilege. (Maybe post-game socials -- a tight-knit clubhouse -- are one of the reasons this team is winning and has become the toast of baseball this season.)

(Related: John Danks was doused in beer by teammates following his first win of the season.)

MLB Studs: Matsuzaka (8K/7IP) and Manny (HR 476) team up to lead the Red Sox over the hapless Blue Jays... Jason Marquis wins his fifth straight start for the Cubs... Ryan Howard: Pinch-hit grand slam... Brewers: Best home stand in 15 years (9-1) en route to MLB's best record.

From yesterday's Maddux-Smoltz item: Yes, I recognized I totally forgot Mariano Rivera and Pedro Martinez as lock Hall of Famers. No slight intended.

Steve McNair arrested: For owning a car being driven by a drunk driver (McNair was sitting shotgun). We'll see what the Commish does about this, under the new, harsher conduct policies...

Unsurprisingly, the NBA receives the highest marks for minority representation among league and team executives. If only the other major sports -- including college -- could follow the example.

PGA: TPC starts today. I'm always sympathetic to Ponte Vedra Beach and Sawgrass -- we took a tour of the place as a possible spot for our wedding. Nuptials on the island of Sawgrass' 17th hole?

(Not that that option was on the table, but it sure would have been cool if it was. That's one of the few holes where I'd be willing to have a "hole-cam" open on my computer during the day as players come through. I have no idea if that's even an option, but it should be. Aha: Here's the link, h/t reader Tyler.)

Meanwhile, there are few smarter moves in golf than the TPC moving into May, to fill the void between the Masters and the Open. Given the money ($9 million) and the unofficial status as "5th Major," maybe "official" status won't be far behind. Pick: Tiger.

The potential "national basketball academy" has been a recent fascination of mine, and Arn Tellem bashed it in the LA Times yesterday, hitting on the most substantial flaw of the concept: The academy would severely limit the number of players who would be helped.

How do you make the cut? Look at the players on the current (or any former) US National Team: How many were among the Top 10 players in their class in high school?

Are you going to tell a player ranked No. 15 he's in, but the kid ranked No. 16 he's not? We're talking about stability, security, schooling and a gift-wrapped ticket to the NBA, let alone college.

And I question what the ultimate purpose of the academy is: Is it to groom future national-team players? Groom future NBA stars who play "the right way?" Help the most talented players in the country avoid perils that might derail their career... or derail the NCAA and NBA's ability to make money off of their talent?

No question: Tellem has a vested interest in bashing the "academy" system; after all, an academy might short-circuit a player's need or interest in having a super-agent. But he raises good points.

Happy graduation to Ashley Judd, who can now officially claim Kentucky as her alma mater after completing the final course she needed to graduate.

Happy election to Doug Flutie, among the latest class elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. What took so long?

The logic behind the NFL adding a 17th regular-season game is becoming more clear: It will be so that each team can play a regular-season game outside of the US without giving up one of their 8 home games.

Junior leaving DEI: I'm no NASCAR expert, but it seems to me that Dale Earnhardt Junior not driving for Dale Earnhardt, Inc (DEI) will be kind of surreal for fans.

Kevin Durant's first endorsement deal is with... Upper Deck trading cards. First of many, I presume. (H/T Darren Rovell at CNBC).

Mayweather-DeLaHoya a pay-per-view smash: 2.15 million buys (at $54.95 each!) makes it the most-purchased PPV event in TV history. Pretty astounding in this day and age of (1) consumer fragmentation and (b) boxing apathy.

Just to clarify, from yesterday's "Cavs-Nets: Zzzz" item: No, I don't particularly hate Cleveland and/or Cleveland sports. I loved the Browns drafting Joe Thomas; I'm hardly a "hater" for disliking the Brady Quinn pick or the trade to get it. I find LeBron interesting enough, but I have little patience for the unimaginative way the team plays. (And, yes, as a Wizards fan, I have a natural inclination to dislike both the Cavs and LeBron.) I have always been sympathetic towards the Indians and their fans. Hell, who isn't on the Sizemore bandwagon? And I hardly think that pointing out that the Cavs-Nets series isn't particularly exciting is Cleveland-hating. Except maybe as foreshadowing for the moment down the not-so-distant road when Jay-Z brings LeBron to play for the Brooklyn Nets. (Ahh... my first "LeBron-leaving-Cleveland" mention of the season! And I held out for so long!)

-- D.S.

Wednesday 05/09 A.M. Quickie:Steroids, Alcohol, Suns Rout, Bonds 745

MLB Steroids Scandal, Cont'd: Don't eff with George Mitchell. He knows that he can create sizzle – if not steak – in his investigation, simply by "naming names."

And so he generates publicity for his effort – if not cooperation from current players, who will ignore his requests for interviews and medical records – by dropping names like...

Sosa and Palmeiro.

That's all he's got? And it's not like he's actually proving they used steroids. He's merely asking for their medical records.

But he throws around their names, and – as with everything in this scandal – merely being mentioned is tantamount to guilt by common perception.

I'm not defending Sosa or Palmeiro or any other player. And I'm not sure yet how I fall on the question of whether these players should cooperate: If they're innocent, why not? But the mild libertarian instinct in me says they are under no concrete obligation.

(Here's what I really want to know: Let's run a poll, much like the controversial Bonds one from last week, asking how many baseball fans really give a damn about the ongoing steroids story anyway? I'm betting the answers will shock and shame the media. )

MLB clubhouse alcohol bans: I suppose it's sad that Hancock's death was the impetus for the new rules throughout MLB teams, but they were long overdue. The question/pressure now will be: If your team hasn't banned alcohol from the clubhouse yet, why not – and when will it happen?

Suns thump Spurs by 20: And, remember, Game 2 was in San Antonio. I AM AN IDIOT. Man, did the Suns seem inspired. (FROM THE RESULT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T WATCH THE GAME) Maybe it was Mike D'Antoni's decision to put beefy Kurt Thomas in the starting lineup, tweaking the fun-n-gun offense but putting more pressure on Tim Duncan. (ISN'T IT NICE TO SCOUR ALL OF THE MORNING-AFTER ANALYSIS TO SOUND MORE INTELLIGENT ABOUT A GAME I DIDN'T WATCH? YEESH. ISN'T IT NICE THAT I MADE THE SAME MISTAKE ON MONDAY TALKING ABOUT GAME 1? I WILL NOW GO BERATE MYSELF FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON. YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY I PUT MY EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE CORNER. ONLY TWO "YOU'RE WRONG!!!" EMAILS HELPING ME OUT? I'VE BEEN OFFLINE ALL MORNING BUT HAVE ACCESS TO EMAIL.)

Cavs go up 2-0 on Nets: Zzzz...

UPDATE: I know it's late in the day already, but if you're not listening to JE and Tas doing their podcasts at The Basketball Jones, you're totally missing out. Best sports podcast out there.

Bonds: 745. (Wow, this is approaching much faster than anyone thought, isn't it? Whether or not you think he used PEDs, you have to admit that it's unlikely he's using them now. So stipulated, how do you explain this season's power surge? Oh, right: 'Roiding or not, he's the best power hitter of all time.)

UPDATE: How did I not write earlier about Curt Schilling ripping Barry Bonds on the radio? Seems like easy pickins.

Maddux vs. Smoltz tonight: A rare matchup between Hall of Fame pitchers. (No: Santana vs. Halladay doesn't count... yet.) How many lock Hall of Fame pitchers are in MLB right now? Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, Clemens, Johnson, Schilling?, Hoffman? I know there are more.

How do I know that this is the Mets' year? They have already gone to the team-wide "Crew Cuts in Solidarity."

Stud: Josh Beckett. First to 7 wins. (Tigers, too: 8 straight Ws.)

Dud: Jorge Reyes. (See this LIO post.)

My favorite on-field promotion of the baseball season is coming up: The pink bats used on Mother's Day. (Remember Bill Hall last year?) Apparently, more than 200 players have signed up to use them. Rah Moms!

McNabb calls Eagles first-pick of QB Kolb "shocking," but tried to downplay it. Why didn't he say this: "The Eagles have to think about what's going to happen after I've retired in 10 years. But Kolb will have big shoes to fill after I've led the team to multiple Super Bowl titles. Heh." ("Heh" necessary.)

Steve Smith got paid: And deserves it.

Ronnie Brown is too fat? After drafting him for my fantasy team the last two seasons, I might be inclined to agree with the Dolphins if they want him to get into better shape. But they're just sucking me back in, tempting me to use a high first-round pick on him... again....

NBA All-Rookie: The first-team is a testament to Lottery "names": Roy, Bargnani, Foye, Gay, Aldridge... and Garbajosa, a Euroleague find (and, combined with Bargnani, Exhibit A why the Raptors' "European Invasion" strategy led them, in one year, from the first pick of the 2006 NBA Draft to a division title and the playoffs).

The second team is fascinating: Paul Millsap and Craig Smith were second-rounders viewed as stereotypical "tweeners"; here's a reminder: Scouting is an imperfect science. Oh, and Adam Morrison somehow made it onto the team, even though he was horrible. Nice to see the Bobcats' Rookie of the Year, Walter Hermann, made the second-team, too.

Baseball draft on TV: I'm late on this by two days, but I love this idea. If you don't like it, you don't have to watch it. But it made zero sense for baseball in the era of "Moneyball" and an increasing (if still small) profile of college baseball NOT to televise the draft. The only question: Who will emerge as this cottage industry's Mel Kiper?

-- D.S.

Tuesday 05/08 A.M. Quickie:Jazz, Warriors, Cuban, Penny, More

Jazz out-run Warriors in Game 1: Nothing takes the air out of a good unified national fan bandwagon like losing.

Just as Golden State's Game 1 win over the Mavericks set up their magical run in round one, the Warriors' Game 2 loss to the Jazz slows the momentum. (If you can use a term like "slow momentum" when it comes to the frenetic Warriors.)

I think the Warriors had too long of a rest between series, while Utah was riding the wave of the Game 7 win over the Rockets – and home-court advantage.

In the end, that's what I'm watching: I won't count the Warriors out until they lose at home (which they won't). This is going to be a hell of a good series.

(Meanwhile, with all the attention on Baron Davis right now, will this series be the moment that Utah's Deron Williams -- 31 pts last night – has his national breakout moment?)

Pistons blow out Bulls... again: Wow, is this going to be over quickly or what? It's not even about Ben Wallace's old teammates showing him what's what; it's about the class of the conference beating up on a wannabe.

Mark Cuban supports PEDs in the NBA: I'm sure there's more nuance to his argument than was presented in the Men's Journal article. There's a part of me that thinks he says these kinds of things to say them, for the attention they bring, and part of me that thinks he says these things because he's a really smart guy and he knows what he's talking about. I'm pretty sure he'll be shouted down in this case, because "PED" is the dirtiest word in sports right now.

Roger Clemens says "it's not about the money," which is the biggest load of bunk in the Clemens saga since "But the test was clean."

MLB Stud: Brad Penny, who had a career-high 14 Ks (with zero BBs), raising his record to 4-0 and lowering his ERA to 1.39.

Runners-up: Chris Capuano (season-high 9 Ks) and Chris Young (8Ks in 6 IP), both winning.

MLB Dud: Joel Zumaya, out for 12 weeks with a finger injury. TBD how it might impact the rest of his season.

HBO yanks Mayweather-DeLaHoya fight off YouTube: A few thoughts on this – (1) Why did it take HBO until Monday to figure out it was out there? (2) The audience for the clips was pretty low. That should bother HBO (and boxing) a lot more than copyright infringement. Maybe if they had two guys boxing AND using Mentos and soda to cause an explosion...

Billy Donovan turns down Grizzlies: I totally neglected to mention this yesterday. Actually, I believe I had written about the Grizzlies' interest in Donovan back in early March, along with the $5 million figure thrown around yesterday. Don't ask how I knew. (Seriously: I think it was from a random message board or something.) Anyway, Billy wanted full control, and the Grizz didn't want to give it to him. Interest over.

There's only one team dumb enough to give one person the coach and GM roles, along with a sick amount of money, and the Knicks already have a guy in that role... for now. I've always claimed that the Knicks job -- coach, GM, the works -- is the one Donovan will get... and take. Will it happen in 2008? We'll see.

Is Shaun Alexander's foot still broken? Eh, maybe the Seahawks would have wanted to know about that before draft day...

Does Jermaine O'Neal want to play for the Knicks? If I was Indiana, given the team has no hope of competing for an East title as-is, I would demand David Lee, Channing Frye and the Knicks No. 1 in '07.

Pac-Man Jones' lawyers have a point when they say that his season-long suspension was "unprecedented in its severity." The Commish should/will reply: "Yeah? So what?"

Greg Oden picked Mike Conley Jr.'s dad as his agent. That cannot possibly surprise you.

This is a pretty good summary of what makes Josh Hamilton so intriguing.

-- D.S.