SportSpectator Blog

March 9, Week in Sports

:: MANNY RAMIREZ RE-SIGNS WITH DODGERS (Pro. Baseball)

:: TWO NFL PLAYERS LOST AT SEA (Pro. Football)

:: TERRELL OWENS CUT BY COWBOYS (Pro. Football)

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MANNY REJOINS BOYS IN BLUE

After a long and ugly process, Manny Ramirez re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday for $45 million over two years. Ramirez, the former Boston Red Sox star slugger, is one of the best players in Major League Baseball.

Negotiations between the Dodgers and Ramirez began nearly four months ago, and those four months have not been pretty. Though Ramirez is an extraordinary player, he is also well known for letting his mood swings and attitude problems interfere with his performance on the field and his relationship with his team. It doesn’t help that he is represented by Scott Boras, who is universally regarded as one of the most egotistical agents in baseball. That being said, Dodgers ownership has not been blameless in this process, as team owners Frank and Jamie McCourt have made strange public comments about free agency, suggesting that it might be immoral to offer fat contracts to baseball players. In any case, the turmoil between the two parties is now over, which is good news for the Dodgers, since Ramirez was a huge factor in their playoff run last season.

In other baseball news, doctors discovered that Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez had a torn labrum and he is having surgery to correct the problem. As a result, Rodriguez will miss at least the first month of the season.

Quote of the Week: “Hurray for Mannywood. Concluding a four-month run that was part slapstick, part soap opera, and completely surreal, the drama between the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez is finally over.” — Bill Plaschke, L.A. Times

Further Reading: “Manny takes physical, completes deal ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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DAY OF MOURNING FOR THE NFL

Last Tuesday, the Coast Guard called off the search for three men, including two NFL players, who were lost at sea when their fishing boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico. One member of the fishing trip, Nick Schuyler, was found alive.

The Coast Guard found Schuyler clinging to the capsized boat, and he was in surprisingly good condition, considering the fact that he had been in the water for almost two full days. The three other members of his group, which included pro football players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith, were also hanging onto the boat for hours after it capsized. However, according to Schuyler, two of the men eventually took off their life jackets and allowed themselves to be carried off by the waves, and the third man eventually swam off when he mistakenly thought he saw rescuers approaching.

After the Coast Guard called off the search, the families of the missing men mounted a private effort to continue looking for their loved ones. However, those efforts have reportedly come to an end, as well.

Quote of the Week: ”To stay in the water for 46 hours and be alive afterwards I think is a miracle.” — Dr. Mark Rumbak

Further Reading: ”Families hunt for closure as Gulf search for players ends ” — Sean Leahy, USA Today

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BILLS, BILLS, BILLS: T.O. BUFFALO BOUND

In a surprising move, the Dallas Stars cut star wide receiver Terrell Owens, commonly referred to as “T.O.” Two days later, the Buffalo Bills picked Owens up, in a one-year deal for $6.5 million.

T.O. has a reputation for being a stubborn, spotlight loving player with a “me first” attitude. That being said, he is one of the best wide receivers in the game, and in his three years with Dallas he played extremely well. Furthermore, in spite of the general opinion that Owens is a “clubhouse cancer,” he fit in with his teammates surprisingly well compared to his conflicts with previous teammates, despite reported conflicts with quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten. Last year, though, the Cowboys were expected to be one of the best teams in football, but they completely flopped and many critics blamed Owens for the team’s poor chemistry. Now, as Jean-Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News said, “It’s time for every player who blamed T.O. for the problems on this team to put up or shut up.”

The fact that the Bills picked up Owens so quickly was almost as surprising as the fact that Owens was cut. Many expected Owens to go to a playoff-ready team looking for a missing piece of the puzzle, but the Bills are young and inexperienced. In short, without veteran players and coaches with strong personalities in Buffalo, everyone is already predicting that Owens will butt heads with his new teammates.

Quote of the Week: “I’m leaving America’s team [for] North America’s team.” — Terrell Owens

Further Reading:  “Out route: Terrell Owens had to go ” — Jean-Jacques Taylor, Dallas Morning News

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE BASKETBALL: As Championship Week moves forward and the tournament draws near, we are entering into “March Madness,” the peak of the college basketball season. The madness will continue this week, as the champions of conference tournaments across the country are decided. This is all leading up to next Sunday, when the NCAA Selection Committee announces the competitors in the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season is currently underway and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. This Sunday is “Selection Sunday,” when the NCAA Selection Committee announces the competitors in this year’s tournament. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the Super Bowl is over, the next major NFL event is the draft, which takes place in late April. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

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:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. The Masters is scheduled for the first week of April. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season is currently underway and runs through April of 2009.  [Official NHL Website]

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

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OFFSEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]

February 23, Week in Sports

 :: A-ROD’S STORY FULL OF HOLES (Pro. Baseball)

:: NO. 4 PITT TOPPLES NO. 1 UCONN (College Basketball)

:: STOUDEMIRE LIKELY OUT FOR YEAR (Pro. Basketball)

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OH, WHAT A TANGLED WEB…

The A-Rod saga continued this week, as Rodriguez called a press conference on Tuesday to further explain how he had tested positive for steroid use. However, Rodriguez’s statement was full of holes and contradictions, and he has gotten himself into much more trouble as a result.

During the press conference, A-Rod claimed that he bought one of the performance-enhancing substances in question (”boli,” or Primobolan) over the counter in the Dominican with the help of his cousin. However, in the days since, a horde of sports journalists have discovered that using “boli” alone would not have accounted for the increased levels of testosterone in A-Rod’s blood test and that in any case, Primobolan was illegal in the Dominican during the time in question. Furthermore, the press learned that A-Rod’s cousin, Yuri Sucart, was A-Rod’s constant companion as recently as the 2007 season, often staying in the hotel room next to Rodriguez. Rodriguez, has said that he quit using steroids after 2003. That now seems very questionable, since Sucart’s roommate on these road trips was Angel Presinal, a trainer who has been banned from Major League Baseball since 2001, largely due to the prevailing opinion that he is a major steroid supplier to athletes.

Now that Rodriguez has created a web of lies, his situation is unimaginably worse. As Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman drily stated after the press conference, “Alex is not very good at communicating, to be quite honest.”

Quote of the Week: “No one thinks about himself more and knows himself less than Alex Rodriguez.” — Joel Sherman, New York Post

Further Reading: “A-Rod answers questions, raises more ” — Jayson Stark, ESPN

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OUTMUSCLED: PITT POUNDS OUT WIN AGAINST HUSKIES

Last week, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers defeated the University of Connecticut Huskies, who were ranked the best team in the country at the time. UConn and Pitt are conference rivals and two of the best teams in the country. Both of them will be strong competitors in this year’s March Madness tournament.

The Pitt-UConn matchup was billed as a battle of the big men, and it lived up to expectations. Huskies center Hasheem Thabeet is one of the best players in the country, and he is known for his tenacious defense. However, he was simply no match for Pitt forward DeJuan Blair, who completely dominated the game. In the end, Blair posted 22 points and 23 rebounds, while Thabeet, who found himself in foul trouble early in the game, was limited to 5 points and 4 rebounds. The two teams are scheduled to play each other again on March 7, in what is sure to be a must-see rematch.

Pitt is known for their extremely physical style of play, which often results in a lot of bellyaching by the defeated team. This game was no exception, as Huskies coach Jim Calhoun made a point of complaining about the officiating. Those comments notwithstanding, Calhoun can expect more of the same when the teams meet again in March.

Quote of the Week: ”We’ll get back to playing basketball our next game.” — Jim Calhoun, Huskies Coach, insinuating that Pitt’s style of play is overly physical

Further Reading: ”Blair, Pitt pull down UConn” — Mark Blaudschun, Boston Herald

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EYE CARAMBA! STOUDEMIRE SIDELINED BY INJURY

Phoenix Suns All-Star Amare Stoudemire re-aggravated an eye injury during a game and was forced to undergo surgery on Friday. Stoudemire, perhaps the best player for the Suns, is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Stoudemire’s injury took place the day after the NBA trade deadline. While there were no blockbuster trades before this year’s deadline, it had been widely rumored that the Suns were trying to trade Stoudemire. After determining that the potential deals on the table were not good enough, the Suns kept their All-Star, hoping that he could lead the team to the post-season this year. For that reason, Stoudemire’s injury is particularly devastating to the franchise, since they are now without their most explosive offensive player and have nothing to show for it.

The Suns had been hoping to have a strong second half of the season. Without Stoudemire in the lineup, it now seems unlikely that the team will even make the playoffs.

Quote of the Week: “Well, that was a fun two-game interlude. And we now return you to your regularly scheduled snakebit version of the Phoenix Suns.” — John Hollinger, ESPN

Further Reading:  “Stoudemire has surgery to repair retina ” — Marc Stein, ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASEBALL: Though A-Rod has not scheduled any interviews this week, there is always the chance that he will throw together a zany press conference. Even if he doesn’t, though, fallout from the A-Rod steroid story will continue to dominate the news.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season is currently underway and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the Super Bowl is over, the next major NFL event is the draft, which takes place in late April. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

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:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. The Masters is scheduled for the first week of April. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season is currently underway and runs through April of 2009.  [Official NHL Website]

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

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OFFSEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]

February 16, Week in Sports

:: A-ROD ADMITS TO USING STEROIDS (Pro. Baseball)

:: MATT KENSETH WINS DAYTONA 500 (NASCAR)

:: WEST WINS NBA ALL-STAR GAME (Pro. Basketball)

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A-ROD’S MEA CULPA

Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez, the star third baseman for the New York Yankees who was accused of using steroids in a Sports Illustrated article last week, admitted that he used illegal substances from 2001 to 2003. While many other great players have been accused of using steroids, Rodriguez is probably the greatest player to ever come out and openly admit it.

During his confessional interview with ESPN’s Peter Gammons, Rodriguez stated that the culture in baseball at the time had a large part to do with his decision to use performance-enhancing drugs. He also claimed that he completely stopped using illegal substances in 2003, which seems to be true on the surface, since he has never been linked to a positive test since then. Coincidentally, Rodriguez’s “decision” to stop using steroids occurred right about the time that the league implemented a rigorous drug testing program.

A-Rod is already dealing with the fallout from the scandal, with people saying that he should be suspended or barred from entering the Hall of Fame someday. However, many people are also furious that while A-Rod is under fire for being on a list of 104 athletes who used performance-enhancing drugs, the other 103 individuals are getting off scot-free.

Quote of the Week: “He’s a young man and he has a special chance to do a lot of special things numbers-wise. But now they’re going to be tainted. People don’t forget.” — Joe Torre, L.A. Dodgers Manager

Further Reading: “Rodriguez Admits to Use of Performance Enhancers ” — Tyler Kepner, New York Times

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KENSETH A RAINY DAY WINNER

On Sunday afternoon, Matt Kenseth won the Daytona 500, which was shortened due to rainy weather conditions. The Daytona 500 is the first major event of the NASCAR season, and it is also the biggest race of the year, considered to be the “Super Bowl” of the sport.

There were two major events that factored into the outcome of Sunday’s race–the bad weather and a major crash in the middle of the race. On Lap 124, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brian Vickers initiated a massive pileup that knocked some of the best drivers out of contention. Since the 200-lap race was shortened by 48 laps because of the rain, the crash was a truly decisive moment.

This was an important win for Matt Kenseth, who has never before won the Daytona 500. Moreover, Kenseth went all of last season without notching a single win.

Quote of the Week: ”It’s going to be really wet out here, because I’m crying like a baby.” — Matt Kenseth, after winning the race

Further Reading: ”Crazy finish favors Kenseth ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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THE WILD WEST

The Western Conference beat the Eastern Conference by a score of 146 to 119 on Sunday night during the NBA All-Star Game. The All-Star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in the NBA. Former teammates Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were named co-MVPs of the game.

The NBA All-Star Game, like all All-Star Games except the one played in baseball, does not count for anything–it is simply a fun game where the biggest stars in the sport come together. More importantly, perhaps, is the fact that the All-Star Game represents the halfway point of the NBA season. With the season half over, the standings look pretty much how everyone expected. The Boston Celtics, who won the championship last year, have the best record in the NBA with 44 wins. Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers, who competed against the Celtics in last year’s Finals, have the best record in the Western Conference, with 42 wins. Many analysts believe that those two great teams will meet again in this year’s Finals series.

There are a number of fun events associated with the NBA All-Star game, including the three-point competition, the skills competition, and a game of HORSE. The most exciting event is the slam dunk contest, which was won this year by Nate Robinson.

Quote of the Week: “The Big Legendaries” — Shaq’s nickname for Kobe and himself

Further Reading:  “VIDEO: Nate Robinson, Slam Dunk Contest ” — YouTube

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASKETBALL: The NBA trading deadline is February 19th. Expect some big trades this week, including the move of Amare Stoudemire, who will almost certainly be traded.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season is currently underway and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the Super Bowl is over, the next major NFL event is the draft, which takes place in late April. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. The Masters is scheduled for the first week of April. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season is currently underway and runs through April of 2009.  [Official NHL Website]

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]

February 9, Week in Sports 

:: A-ROD ACCUSED OF USING STEROIDS (Pro. Baseball)

:: MICHAEL PHELPS SUSPENDED FOR DRUG USE (Olympics)

:: BARRY BONDS COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW POSITIVE DRUG TESTS (Pro. Baseball)

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SI DROPS A BOMB ON “A-FRAUD“

Sports Illustrated reported that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003, when he was playing with the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez, commonly referred to as “A-Rod,” is the most accomplished player of his generation, and he is on pace to break several of the most revered baseball records.

The test results in question came from a 2003 testing program conducted by Major League Baseball, intended to determine how pervasive steroid abuse was in the game. The results of the test were supposed to be totally confidential, and the league promised that it would not take any disciplinary measures based on the test’s results. Though those results are still confidential, that didn’t stop several sources familiar with the program from spilling the beans to Sports Illustrated and independently verifiying that Rodriguez was on the list. This story is bound to grow in the coming weeks, and though it’s hard to tell what will come of it, it certainly promises to be one of the biggest scandals in sports this year.

A-Rod’s name has also been in the news because of revelations about his relationships with his teammates, as detailed in former Yankees manager Joe Torre’s book. According to Torre, A-Rod was not particularly liked by his teammates, who called him “A-Fraud” behind his back.

Quote of the Week: “Alex Rodriguez was supposed to be the guy who saved baseball, the way that Mark McGwire did in 1998. He was supposed to ride in and save the home run record from the clutches of suspected steroid user Barry Bonds. He was supposed to be the guy who would show that clean players could be just as prolific as the cheaters…. Rodriguez wouldn’t respond to the information in the report, but anything he says really isn’t going to change the fact that this will stick to him forever.” — Buster Olney, ESPN

Further Reading: “Exclusive: A-Rod Tested Positive in 2003 ” — Selena Roberts and David Epstein, Sports Illustrated

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WHAT WOULD TONY THE TIGER SAY?

Last week, News of the World, a British tabloid, published a photo of American swimmer Michael Phelps smoking marijuana. Phelps, who won a record 8 gold medals in the Beijing Olympics, is the most prominent Olympic athlete in the world.

In the days following the photo’s publication, there were two significant consequences for Phelps: USA Swimming suspended him from competition for three months, and he lost his Kellogg sponsorship. Though the suspension will make Phelps’ preparations for the world championships in Rome a little bit more difficult, in reality it is nothing more than a slap on the wrists. Furthermore, Phelps’ other sponsors stood by his side, so the loss of Kellogg will hardly make a dent in his endorsement money. So far, even people who would never consider themselves “Phelps Phans” seem to be coming out in defense of the Olympian.

Besides, Phelps has bounced back from worse indiscretions in the past, such as his drunk driving arrest in 2004. Phelps was underage at the time, but that incident did little to affect his stature in the sport.
Quote of the Week: ”Mom wasn’t happy.” — Michael Phelps

Further Reading: ”Phelps suspended from competition ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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AND HERE’S ANOTHER HIT, BARRY BONDS

This week, it emerged that there are a number of court documents that definitively prove that Barry Bonds used steroids. Bonds, who holds the MLB home run record, has been indicted for perjury and his trial is scheduled to begin next month.

Barry Bonds has become the most prominent figure of the “steroid era” of baseball. However, while it seems unlikely that even the most naive fan could still believe that Bonds was free of performance-enhancing drugs, until now there has never been definitive proof that Bonds knowingly used steroids. That being said, while the case against Bonds has grown the past few years, it is also relatively unimportant until a court of law proves that he is guilty of perjury, which would also mean that he had deliberately used steroids. The judge in Bonds’ case has suggested that she would not include the majority of the most devastating documents without the testimony of Bonds’ former personal trainer.

Also included in the unsealed court documents was a transcript of a taped conversation between Bonds’ manager and trainger about Bonds’ steroid program. That conversation is also being submitted as “proof” that Bonds knowingly took steroids and later lied about it.

Quote of the Week: “We know that he hasn’t played a game since Sept. 26, 2007, yet the specter of Barry Bonds continues to loom over the entire sport.” — Howard Bryant, ESPN.com

Further Reading:  “Drug tests, transcripts included in unsealed Bonds documents ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: NASCAR: The Daytona 500 takes place on Sunday, February 15. Many people consider the Daytona 500 the biggest racing event of the year, dubbing it the Super Bowl of NASCAR.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season is currently underway and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the Super Bowl is over, the next major NFL event is the draft, which takes place in late April. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. The Masters is scheduled for the first week of April. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season is currently underway and runs through April of 2009.  [Official NHL Website]

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]