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T.O. vs. Philly
What did T.O. say *this* time? Keep reading to find
out. What makes this standoff so dramatic is that
neither he nor the Eagles are going to budge.
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The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
LAST. LANCE.
Fans' last chance to see Lance in the
Tour de France is this weekend.
Don't miss it.
Rarely do all-time great athletes go out at the top of
their sport.
Even Michael Jordan didn't do it. (And by winning his 7th
title, Lance will even finish with one more
championship than MJ.)
Critics who begrudge Lance his "Athlete of the Year"
awards he picks up with metronomic frequency are
simply being knee-jerk contrarians.
He's no fluke: Fans have given him the "Male Athlete
of the Year" ESPY Award for three years running. Trust
the many fans over the few noisy.
Sports fans get it: Within his sport, Lance is
as dominant as he can be. Does his uber-dramatic
backstory count? Even more so.
But he's a cyclist! critics howl. That makes it
all the *more* impressive.
Lance has managed to take an off-the-radar sport and
deliver it smack into the national sports-fan
consciousness every July.
True sports greatness is rare enough that it's
worth your energy to catch the end of the Tour de
Lance era.
T.O. Escalates
Sometimes quotes say it all:
"It's going to be hard for me to get back on that
field if I ain't getting paid. Just to show you I'm
ready, they better be ready."
"Trade me, release me, and we can just part ways like
adults. Not to stir anything up, but I don't really
have to play for the Eagles.
"I can go play for any other team and still be
productive. If he feels that way, then get rid of
me."
"I've talked to the coach and like I said, if I gotta
come there [with no new deal], it's not going to be a
good situation."
(Quotes via Comcast SportsNet
Southeast)
NFL Training Camp
With NFL training camps kicking off Sunday,
the Quickie resumes its annual tradition of
oversimplifying each camp's key plotline.
Dolphins (Davie, FL)
Plot: Ricky! Ricky! Ricky!
Patriots (Foxboro, MA)
Plot: Replacing Weis, Crennel
Bears (Bourbonnais, IL)
Plot: Where's the Lovie?
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CHECK OUT THE QUICKIE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING! |
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| WHO'S GOT THE MOMENTUM ... |
NHL: Players ratify new labor deal (which 10 pct said NO?)
Jay Williams: Buzz improves for rehab/return of ex-Duke PG
MLB Crackdown: Suspends Runelvys H., 3 others for KC brawl |
| ... AND WHO'S GOT NO MO' |
Livan Hernandez: Recants rant from Wednesday, will pitch
Kerry Wood: Will miss next start; what else is new here?
Marino as Steeler QB: HOF'er rejected Cowher offer in '00 |
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Follow along with the Quickie as all 30 teams go to
camp over the next two weeks!
MLB: Pitching Woo!
Checking in on Thursday's notable pitching
matchups. To sum up: Hindsight is No
Decision ...
Kenny Rogers: No decision Thursday in
TEX L to OAK, but Rogers can expect to be the loser of
any decision today by Bud Selig re: his
suspension.
Buehrle-Clement: Another ND. Neither looked
that good in 6 IP, and Schilling eclipsed them both,
earning his first W out of the 'pen (after blowing save).
Unit vs. Colon: Johnson had to leave the game
with a back issue, then replacement Tom Gordon
promptly gave up a game-breaking slam to Vlad.
Maddux "3K K's?" Not yet. Stuck at 2,998 after 4
Ks vs. CIN. Adding injury to insult, the Cubs' 'pen
blew his lead, along with the game.
Zach Duke watch: Scoreless inning streak snapped at
22, but got W over Rockies with 5 K's and only 1 R in 7
IP.
NBA: Zeke Seeks Larry
Deal today, weekend, someday? And, yet,
there hasn't been a summer romance more obviously
headed for eventual heartbreak and/or breakup since
Brad and Angelina. Or is that Tom and Katie? Or maybe
Jessica and Johnny Knox?
NHL: Draft Lottery
A.K.A. "The Crosby Mysteries": Which
team today will win the rights to Sidney Crosby, the
hottest hockey phenom since Gretzky?
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If the NHL was truly ready to re-emerge from the
morass of the lockout, it would ensure he went to New
York, paying off the other teams if that's what it
took.
Forget having the kid in the biggest media market in
the country; sometimes scandal can be a good
thing.
In this case, a "Sid-NY" conspiracy would have
everyone talking NHL, if only momentarily. (Fri, 4,
ESPNews)
Movies: Bad News Bears
Considering the original "Bears" is one
of the best sports movies ever (not to mention the
most inspired use of soundtrack -- Bizet's opera
"Carmen"), I'm eager to check out the re-make.
For some BNB BP (literally), don't miss Mary
Buckheit's must-read Page 2 column,
going head to head with the Bears' star pitcher. (See
Q It Up.)
50-in-50: Weekend
Three stops!
Friday: Virginia
Dominant Impression:
Ralph Sampson vs. Chaminade
Saturday: North Dakota
Dominant Impression:
College hockey powerhouse.
Sunday: Kansas
Dominant Impression:
Unlikely NCAA hoops hotbed.
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Nationals:
Fading Nats face Rocket after loss Thu to HOU drops DC
into tie for 1st in NL East with ATL. After weekend,
Nats won't sniff 1st again. (WC? Maybe...)
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Today on ESPN.com
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| Quickie live! |
| Bad News for Bear |
| Tour de France |
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| Original "B.N. Bears" Players |  Kelly Leak
| Cycling around the bases
|  Amanda Whurlitzer
| Your childhood crush?
|  Tanner Boyle
| Precursor to Kenny Rogers?
|  Engelberg
| Can't beat the fat kid
|  Ogilvie
| | Original SABR member? |
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MLB trade rumors: Are Dodgers shopping Weaver. And are
O's interested? (via LA Times)
Even more NHL: Board of Govs to agree to rules changes
today that everyone hopes will make the games more
telegenic and fan-friendly.
NBA moves: Nets, Shareef make deal (K-Mart loyalists
can be quiet now). More: Clips eyeing Bonzi? Wiz
liking Madsen? Lakers have Glove love?
Bruschi update: The Pats deny that the LB was rejected
for medical clearance before he announced his decision
to sit out in 2005. (via BOS Globe)
Best oddball sports memorabilia of Quickie Era? I'd
say Horn's Celly or Schilling's Sock. Catch OTL on
Friday (12:40 am, ESPN) for a report.
50-in-50 Extra! I'm spending the day in D.C. Where's
my red carpet, Mayor Williams? Expect my unofficial
D.C. "50-in-50" report next week.
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