Today In Sport

Shaquille O’neal was this week announced as the newest addition to the Boston Celtic’s All-Star Cavalcade Of Future Hall Of Famers Retirement Tour.  That’s not to say that this team won’t be competitive, far from it.  They have over 50 combined All-Star appearances on their roster and they can all still play.

But they are not getting any younger and other teams are getting better, most notably Miami.  Shaq is becoming a bit of a journeyman in his latter years, this being his fourth different team in four years.  He has been signed by teams like Phoenix and Cleveland who believed his experience could help them get to the championship.

However Shaq is now more likely to get the final piece of pizza rather than be the final piece in the championship puzzle.  Boston had their final shot at a title with this team last season and came up a few games short against the Lakers.  This should be the last year for this group as it stands now.

And Shaq, stop hurting your legacy and just retire at the end of this season.  You do not want to be Michael Jordan finishing up your days as an ageing superstar trying to get a rubbish team to be less rubbish and failing.

For those who came in late, Ilya Kovalchuk was traded during the middle of last season from Atlanta to the New Jersey Devils.  He became a much sought after commodity during the off-season and was actively pursued by many a NHL club, most notably Los Angeles.

But the New Jersey management came up with a brilliant plan.  Offer Ilya the most overblown and convuluted deal in history, $102 million over 17 years.  Now, at 27 years old this would mean his contract would end when he is 44.  Sure there have been the odd player that has been able to go into their 40’s but it is a little ridiculous.

That is until you read the part where his wage is scaled from almost $10million a year down to the base rate in his final 5 years.  This gave the overall contract a lower average yearly salary to help fit into the NHL salary cap.  This is where the NHL stepped in and said we don’t like these shennanigans.

But the NHL Players Association countered with “But why?” and now we are headed to arbitration.  This is usually a quick process but for some reason there was no arbitrator in place at the time (why would there be, it’s only mad trading month).  So, finally tomorrow the decision will be at least discussed.

There are teams hanging on the verdict, again most notably The Kings who are ready to pounce on Ilya should his contract be vetoed and torn up.  It’s not like this is the first lengthy contract though.  I think what the NHL are concerned about is the fact that while The Devils are paying Ilya huge money, they still comfortably fit under the cap.

Then when the final 5 years comes around and he is 39, New Jersey then can cut him and pay out the relatively paltry sum of $2.5m of the rest of his contract and also recover about $7m in their cap space.  You can see both sides.  The club wants to work their contracts as they see fit to help their club and the NHL wants to stop rorting of the system.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

As the Chicago Blackhawks were parading their newly won Stanley Cup around the ice after Game 6 in the NHL playoffs, former Hawk Jeremy Roenick was savouring the moment as he expressed his pride at their acheivement to the TV audience.  And that moment was ruined by Mike “The Mouth” Milbury.

As JR choked back tears when he answered the question about why he was so emotional at this win with “It’s the Chicago Blackhawks, man.”, Mike Milbury swooped in with a lame joke and a rambling anecdote that went nowhere.  You can see in Roenick’s eyes that he was angry at Milbury and if it had been about 15 years ago and at center ice, he would have punched the living stuffing out of him.

JR deserved that moment and it was ruined for him.  Way to go Mike Milbury.  Jackass.

Every now and then sport gives you the opportunity to not only prove yourself as an athlete, but as a human being as well.  This week, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga took that opportunity.

On Wednesday Galarraga was chasing that most elusive of feats, not just in baseball but in all sports, the perfect game.  Only 20 players in MLB history have ever achieved this.

A perfect pitching game requires you to have successfully retired 27 consecutive batters, three in each of the nine innings without allowing a hit or surrendering a walk.  Gallaraga had 26 outs when history was interrupted. (continue reading…)

The Chicago Blackhawks, the 2nd seed in the Western Conference will this weekend start their quest for the first NHL Stanley Cup title for their franchise since 1961 when they take on the red hot 7th seed in the East, the Philadelphia Flyers in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals series. (continue reading…)

So, LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers have been bounced from the NBA playoffs by the Boston Celticsin six games.  James had a fairly good Game 6 at Tha Gahden but even he gave up in the final minutes.  Nine turnovers.  NINE!  Were you paying attention out there King James, Lord of the Court?

No, you were too busy complaining about every little piece of contact that wasn’t called and blaming everyone but yourself.  Sure, you came out and said that your little elbow boo-boo wasn’t to blame for your bad play but come on, you didn’t play through the pain and your team suffered because of it.

So, where to now for the King?  Well, the Nets have some money to splash around now.  Or even better, he can go to the Clippers!  Anywhere where we can laugh at him trying to drag an inept franchise into mid table obscurity.  LeBron James is now the Charles Barkley and Karl Malone of his generation.

Lots of talent but will never win a championship ring.

Boston Celtic general manger and former NBA player Danny Ainge, was fined $25,000 after game 2 of their series with Cleveland for the high crime of throwing a towel in the air and catching it as Cavalier forward JJ Hickson was taking a free throw.

Never mind that there are always fans behind the net that are trying to distract a player or a team mascot running around making a nuisance of himself, Ainge took it way too far.  We are lucky it was just a towel.  It could have been one of those foam fingers that may have taken Hickson’s eye out.

What next?  An owner yelling at a player’s mother?  Maybe Ainge should have thrown an octopus onto the court.  The NBA wouldn’t know what to do then.  I want to see Ainge throwing other things in the air to see which objects attract the bigger fine.  Let’s go with a popcorn bucket next.

After Tiger’s comeback tournament at The Masters where he performed as good or better than expected considering the circumstances, he came crashing back down to earth at the Quail Hollow Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina.

For only the sixth time in his professional career, Eldrick missed the cut.  He shot a second round 79 to finish nine over par for his two days work.  The last time he had a 79 it was Grilled Pork in a Black Bean sauce.  So is this rustiness or does he just not care anymore or is his career set for a downturn?

Well, I guess it would be unfair to judge him on one tournament but, yes he is finished.  Get a good look at him while you still can.  He will be gone by the end of the year.  See ya, Tige.

While you were sleeping, Hollywood superstar Sandra Bullock has adopted an African-American baby rumoured to be the next big thing in American Football.  These rumours were further fuelled by speculation that the Dallas Cowboys have already offered the youngster a walk-on contract for $10 million, as soon as he learns to walk. (continue reading…)

The Pittsburgh Penguins advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs in their quest to defend their title by defeating Ottawa 4-3 in OT after being down 3-0 early on.  After a brilliant comeback by Pittsburgh to take the game into OT, a superstar emerged to take the series.

Sid the Kid?  No.  Geno Malkin?  No.  Pascal Dupuis!  Hey, if you score the winner in OT to seal a playoff series victory for the Pens you are a superstar in my book.  Cheers Dupes, you legend!