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Nats TV:
Baseball fans in D.C. rejoice! MLB and the Orioles
come to terms on a TV plan that will actually allow
the Nationals to be seen by their fans.
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The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
IT'S. OVER.
"It's Over."
When we last left baseball, I had K.O.'ed the
Red Sox after Game 1 of the ALCS, making the Worst.
Call. Ever.
(In my defense, by the time the ALCS got to Game 4,
even hardy Red Sox fans agreed with me.)
The subsequent combo of The Comeback and the End of
the Curse capped a 12-month stretch of baseball that
has been arguably the most exciting "Era" in baseball history.
Here's the hangover: How does baseball top
itself?
Answer: It can't.
There will be other great stories, but nothing to top
the last 18 months of drama that started with the 2003
playoffs.
Following 2003, there was still the tantalizing
prospect of Red Sox redemption, fueled by the nonstop
offseason madness.
But there's a downside of the Sox title: For
the majority of us not in Red Sox Nation, that
conflict is gone.
The Red Sox are now the Angels, the Diamondbacks or any
other team that has won a World Series in the last 87
years. Another Boston title? Yawn.
If we had been waiting decades (even lifetimes) for
the drama of a Red Sox championship, someone explain
the scenario where baseball can top what happened in
2003-04?
So NOW what's "over?"
"Best Era (Ever)" (2003-2004)
Top Storylines
Steroid Scandal? Who will be the first
to face public humiliation of a positive test?
Bonds Watch: When will he return? How will he
be received? When will he pass Babe Ruth's HR mark --
THE sports event of 2005.
Meet the Nats: Fans are excited ... for now. But
how will fickle D.C. fans feel when the Nats are 15
games out at the All-Star break?
Hey, Big Spenders: From the "New Mets" in the
East to Seattle out West, teams have re-invested
(heavily). Which will get the best ROI?
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CHECK OUT THE QUICKIE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING! |
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| WHO'S GOT THE MOMENTUM ... |
Larry Brown: So much for rumors; returns this week
Kerry Wood: 92 pitches! "Felt great. Could have gone more"
Bulls: Win 7th straight (and without Hinrich and Curry!)
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Celtics: Lose 4th straight; where's "Toine-mentum" now?
DMT: The "new THG" not found in test of Athens Olympians
Byung Hyun Kim: Red Sox trade overpaid P to Rockies |
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Yankees-Red Sox: It's always about
Yanks-Sox, the reigning rivalry in all of
sports.
MLB Awards!
One "common sense" ("Yawn");
one "under the radar" (UTR):
AL MVP
Yawn: Manny or A-Rod
UTR: Travis Hafner (CLE)
(I had Vlad as UTR in '04!)
NL MVP
Yawn: Pujols or Beltran
UTR: Miguel Cabrera (FLA)
If Pujols hurt, wide open
AL CY
Yawn: Santana or Big Unit
UTR: Rich Harden (OAK)
Anchoring A's "new aces"
NL CY
Yawn: Hudson or Clemens
UTR: Oliver Perez (PIT)
Like Jake Peavy (SD), too
MLB Predictions!
American League
East: Yankees
Central: Twins
West: Angels
Wild card: Indians
(Just missed: Red Sox, A's)
National League
East: Braves
Central: Cards
West: Padres
Wild card: Cubs
(Just missed: Mets, Marlins)
Series: Cubs over Twins
Happily wrong! '05 IS better!
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Suns Clinch Pacific
29-point thumping of Sixers seals the
division title for the West's best (and most exciting)
team.
Nash seals MVP? How do you like your
triple-doubles? How about 12 pts-12 ast-13 reb ... in
27 minutes?
McD's Mania!
Have I beaten the "Enormous" references
to a pulp? Oh, well ...
East beat West in typical no-D McD's style. Top NBA
prospect Gerald Green led all scorers with 24, and I'm
sure several other lesser players think they're ready
to go pro.
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49ers:
Not only do they deny the Rivers trade rumor (even
though most fans think it's a great idea), but they
have talked to problematic F.A. WR David Boston.
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Today on ESPN.com
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| Quickie live! |
| MLB Preview |
| NCAA Tournament coverage |
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| More MLB Storylines |  Cubs the "new Sox?"
| Wood, Prior healthy?
|  Mauer Mania
| Everyone loves Twins C
|  Old Pitchers
| Clemens, Big Unit, Wells
|  Have-nots Rising?
| Tigers, Brewers up-n-coming?
|  Angels from Where?
| | LA? Anaheim? Ridiculous |
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In the wake of the Carolina steroids scandal, the NFL
has said that it wants to boost drug testing to
IOC-type levels. Every sports league should.
Lewis Wolff set to buy A's: Yes, but will he SPEND?
Can you imagine Billy Beane with money? Oh, right:
That's Theo and the World Champs.
Wooden Award finalists (women): Augustus (LSU), Currie
(Duke), Davenport (Ohio St), McCarville (Minn), Wecker
(K-St).
NIT watch: Title game tonight, St. Joe's vs. S.
Carolina. You've got to love the feel-good story of
the Hawks, rebounding from the Goon Incident.
Fresh starts: O's trade disappointing P Matt Riley;
Pat Ewing Jr. to transfer from Indiana; NHL and union
to pick up labor talks on Monday.
Dr. Elliot Pellman says he's sorry for the resume
"enhancement"; yes, but can he say it in Spanish?
(Based on med-school history, I'll bet he
can.)
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