The Magnificent 7, Karolyi Goes Crazy and More

Michael Phelps ... how? I've seen the replay. I've seen the replay in slow motion. I've seen the replay in super duper 21st century high definition slow motion. I have no idea how Michael Phelps managed to touch that wall before Milorad Cavic in the 100m butterfly.

One, one-hundredth of a second. That's the smallest increment of time kept by the Olympics. Unreal.

The reaction by Phelps' mother was priceless. It could only be matched by gymnastics "analyst" Bela Karolyi on Thursday night.

Anyone who happened to be watching the Olympics last night during the women's all-around competition was treated to crazy Karolyi having a "Belagasm" during Nastia Liukin's floor exercise.

I was hoping to track down the video to share, but all I could find with this hysterical spoof. The real version has Liukin performing in the background and not, well, you'll see. Enjoy.

***

The Yankees are pretty much dead as far as the postseason goes. They're going to have to hope the Red Sox collapse down the stretch in order to sniff the Wild Card. Injuries have taken their toll and their lineup is stagnant. That's a pretty bad combination when you're in a pennant race. So, next question. Should the Yankees try to trade Jason Giambi or Mike Mussina? Their salaries are huge and they may clear waivers and they could fetch some prospects for an inevitable rebuild. Far fetched? Absolutely. But would it be smart? Hmm ...

Why No Phelps Flap? And Raging Against the Democrats?

Before I continue, this week's FCNP Splinters takes a look at the Olympic experience thus far and why I'm glad the focus has been on the athletes and not the politics of the Games.

***

A co-worker today raised this question: Why is no one accusing Michael Phelps of doping?

Yeah, it's a question that stirs the pot, but isn't it legitimate? This guy is crushing the competition and setting world records like they were nothing. We've raised an eyebrow at everyone who's had even the slightest bit of success lately, but Phelps has been untouchable. Why?

Is it because he's tested regularly for drugs at the Olympics? (There's still no reliable test for HGH.) Is it because he's American? (If he was from China, you know people would jump on this ... just look at the skepticism surrounding what was most likely a misprinted age for gymnast He Kexin.

I personally don't think Phelps is doping. He'd have to be either pretty bold or pretty dumb to try. He probably has to slug down a gallon of water just to keep up with the little plastic cups they're passing his way. Plus, Phelps has improved incrementally since 2004. It hasn't been a spike like Floyd Landis or Barry Bonds or Marion Jones. This falls well inside the realm of credibility. Still, the sad reality is that we should probably be skeptical of any landmark athletic achievement until there is comprehensive drug testing that includes HGH. Sad, but true.

***

Great column from ESPN's Jayson Stark on Manny Ramirez today. I totally agree.

I'm working on a longer piece about the former Red Sox slugger and hope to have it up this weekend. Keep your eyes peeled.

On the music front ...

Political rock fans, rejoice! Rage Against the Machine will perform in Denver, coinciding with the Democratic National Convention. Here's a snippet from the press release:

"Rage Against the Machine has joined forces with the Iraq Veterans Against the War and Tent State University to perform as part of the "Tent State Music Festival to End the War" on Wednesday, August 27 at the Denver Coliseum. They will join the Flobots, The Coup, State Radio, and Wayne Kramer. Doors open at 9:30 AM, show begins at 11:00 AM."

I'm not one to turn up my nose at a chance to see this band, but wouldn't it make more sense if they were playing outside the REPUBLICAN National Convention? Isn't that what the Democrats are trying to do already?

***

"Press Pass" this week checks in with some of my favorites (Joe Purdy, Husky Rescue, No Second Troy) from interview past to find out Where Are They Now?

The Fantastic Phelps and a Few Music Notes

Five gold medals in 2008. Five world records at the Beijing Games. It's becoming more and more evident that the only thing Michael Phelps has to fear in the water is Jaws ... if the great white could catch him that is.

Now that he has 11 gold medals over two Olympics (and you know he'll be back for the London Games in four years) it's pretty evident that Phelps is the best athlete ever. Is there any debate? Of course there is.

One candidate: Jackie Robinson. Not only did he break baseball's color barrier, he was also a varsity athlete for UCLA's football, basketball, baseball and track teams.

Some disturbing news from the Big East, as UConn men's coach Jim Calhoun is battling health issues. He's not getting any younger and the recruiting game is a brutal one. It's only my opinion, but this could be Calhoun's last season. After this year, when the Huskies are primed for a return to the Final Four, they'll likely lose Hasheem Thabeet and A.J. Price to the NBA Draft and Jeff Adrien's eligibility expires. The Huskies have a good freshmen class coming in with Kemba Walker and Scottie Haralson, but will they have the pieces to make a serious run in 2009-10?

I think there's a real possibility Calhoun calls it a career after this spring.

***

On the music front, I chatted with Peter Bradley Adams yesterday about his new release, Leavetaking. If you've got a sec, pop over to his home page and check out the new tunes.

Also, D.C. area music enthusiasts, if you want to catch a band on the rise, visit the MySpace page for No Second Troy and pickup tickets to their Aug. 22 gig at 9:30 Club. Not only will you get to see one of the most polished bands in the District perform live, you'll also get to download their new single, "Masquerade" for free. And do yourself a favor and listen to "The Gardens After Lockout" while you're there.

Excess Baggage

After doing my duty in my friends' wedding and baking in San Antonio's summer sun, I'm back. No thanks to American Airlines.

Long gripe short, my connecting flight back Monday morning from St. Louis was canceled due to weather in New York. I can handle that. Bad weather happens. And I was fortunate enough to be able to stay with my girlfriends' parents who live outside the city. All I needed was my bag back. Apparently that's a problem.

Despite the flight being canceled, I had to revisit the ticket counter to make a special request to get my bag back. After doing that and waiting 40 minutes for it at the bag claim, I visited the American Airlines baggage office.

Mike: Yeah, I need my bag back. Is it coming?

Attendant: Well ... [walkie talkie beeps, then explodes with Charlie-Brown Teacher chatter. The attendant, completely panicked translates] OKAY, EVERYONE NEEDS TO EVACUATE THIS FLOOR RIGHT NOW. THE POLICE WILL EXPLAIN WHEN THEY GET HERE, BUT YOU NEED TO MOVE NOW!

15 minutes later after heroically running to retrieve my girlfriend from certain death and safely exit the building ... only to be told within seconds of our exit that it's a false alarm and some moron leaned against the wrong button ...

Mike: Yeah, I need my bag back. Is it coming?

New, calmer, but much more incompetent attendant: It could be 20 minutes, it could be four hours.

Mike: Um, can you narrow that down for me?

Same, calmer, attendant who is now uneager to accept any shred of responsibility for my missing bag: Not really.

Mike: Aren't you guys the baggage department? Isn't finding people's lost luggage what you do?

Same, calmer, but now somewhat confused attendant: Yes.

Mike: So why can't you go find my bag?

Same, calmer, but completely boggled attendant: Well, because we don't have access to the baggage room. If you want to wait by the baggage belt, your bag should come out.

Mike, far from calm and quietly calculating the legal consequences of throttling an airline employee relative to the Darwinian justice of ridding the earth of an inept employee sapping this planet's valuable resources, such as water, oxygen and my time: So, just to sum up. You represent the airline's baggage department. Your sole responsibility is to monitor people's luggage and not only are you unable to tell me where my bag is, but you're entirely unable to even TRY to find it.

Same, calmer attendant slowly realizing she's the butt of a joke: So, sir, what exactly do you suggest I do?

Mike's mind: See if the DMV is hiring.

Mike's body: I wish this boarding pass I am currently tearing in half with my hands was your soul.

Mike's mind again: Nothing. Do nothing. You seem to do it so well, why stop now?

Mike's actual response: I think I'll go find someone else to speak to by the baggage claim.

After another 30 minutes of no one knowing where my bag is, one attendant tells me I should just leave it and let it get put onto the flight tomorrow morning or even sent on later that evening. Never mind that it has all of my clothes. Or all of my toiletries. Or could have contained large quantities of substances frowned upon by the TSA but embraced by fundamentalist militants. I should just forget about it, potentially let it fly on a plane without me, and go about my day.

Riiiight ...

Scary realization No. 1: These are the people keeping our planes "safe" from terrorists.

Scary realization No. 2: The attendent's vote in the presidential election counts just as much as mine does.

Did I mention that American Airlines is now charging for checked baggage?

In five weeks I guarantee all you will find in airplane cargo holds are leather leggings, whips, spiked collars and other implements only a masochist could love.

Which very much reminds me of watching the Nationals.

Okay, rant over. More actual content later.

Olympics, Moose Sighting and Vacation

Early end to the week, as I'm heading to Texas for a wedding. But plenty of stuff to leave you with.

• Olympics open tonight (this morning really) in Beijing. Will the delegations wear masks during the ceremony (my bet is no), will there be protests (my bet is yes but not during the ceremonies, and NBC is guaranteed to talk about them for 15 minutes or so) and will China's flag be the highest when the athletes carry them into the stadium (definitely, given that it will be carried by Yao Ming.

• Yankees avoided trouble last night. They lost Joba, lost Pudge and lost the first two games in Texas against the Rangers. Had they been swept or even lost 3 of 4 heading into Anaheim (with Giese and Kennedy set to pitch) it probably would have killed their hopes for a playoff berth. Good thing Mike Mussina stepped up big last night.

• Since I likely won't be able to update until Monday, keep an eye on Jim Furyk, +1 through round 1 of the PGA Championship. Not a great start, but as mentioned a while back, I still like him to pull through.

No time for spellcheck, so hopefully this willl be error free (at 4:30 a.m.? Not bloody likely.)

Favre Lands With Jets

How fitting that on the day that professional reporters were tracking flight traffic to discern if Brett Favre had left Green Bay, the quarterback is traded to the New York Jets. At least the media coverage should die down in the media capital of the world ... oh ...

The Olympics begin tomorrow, but the soccer tournament has already begun with the U.S. women losing to Norway 2-0 and the men beating Japan 1-0. The women should still be able to make the medal round, but their prospects look a lot worse once they get there after a pasting like Wednesday's. Losing Abby Wambach in the team's tune-up win over Brazil was a brutal stroke of bad luck.

According to this story, the pollution in Beijing's bad air has actually gone indoors , with a haze collecting on the ceiling of the aquatic center.

And since the Games have yet to award their first medal, that means that Afghanistan is atop the medal count! This could be the feel good story of the Olympics.

Sports Illustrated released its complete college football rankings. Georgia comes in at No. 1, though both East Carolina and Northwestern sit ahead of perennially over ranked Notre Dame. This thing must be broken.

Wednesday Items

Sorry for the missed update on Tuesday, but just didn't have time to put it up.

The Favre Saga, still, is the big story of the day. The main rumor is that he'll be traded to Tampa Bay by the end of the day. Please just let this end.

The big story of my day on Monday was when F.C. Barcelona kicked us off our softball field in order to practice in Central Park. The team is in town to play the New York Red Bulls of MLS, well, fame is the wrong word, but they're part of Major League Soccer. Pretty cool to see Thierry Henry warming up in the park a few feet away. Dude's got his own Gillette commercial, in the States, so you know he's legit. Goals like these help too.

Funniest anecdote came when some kids started giddily sprinting toward the team and one of them, wrapped in an F.C. Barcelona flag, yells to his cohorts, "Guys! Don't Make a Scene!" Good call, flag boy, keep it subtle.

Manny Being Mangled? Okay, so it's Manny Parra and not Ramirez, but whatever. The Brewers' Prince Fielder took issue with Tuesday's starting pitcher and shoved him repeatedly in the dugout before teammates separated the two. Actually, that's a little inaccurate. They stopped the rather gargantuan Fielder from throwing Parra repeatedly into the bench, while Parra flopped like a shell-shocked doll.

This is the sort of reaction I was looking for after the Brewers getting swept at home by the Cubs. This isn't necessarily the beginning of the end for Milwaukee, this doesn't mean the clubhouse is going to explode in frustration or hold grudges (it's a guy thing). In fact, this could light a fire and get the team moving forward again. This is another turning point for their season, let's see where the Brewers go now.

Some final thoughts:

• Francisco Rodriguez is takes himself completely out of fielding position with his follow through. Why don't more people bunt against him?

• What exactly was that thing the Clay Buchholz was wearing around his neck on Monday and how much did it cost at the Denny's salad bar? (On review: Guess it's not made of foliage, but it sure looked that way on TV.)

• David Cone admitted on Monday while broadcasting the Yankees-Rangers game on YES that when he pitched he had some "sticky stuff" on his person, crediting notorious ball doctor Gaylord Perry for the tips. Does this affect anyone's perception of David Cone? Should it?

• Interviewed Garrett Dutton, better known as G. Love, for "Press Pass" this week. A snippet that didn't make the final piece:

Hume: You've always been known for your distinctive style. Who are some other artists you think are breaking ground with their sound these days?

Dutton: I really like Jack White. I have a lot of respect for him. We both have a lot of traditional blues in our recordings and live show and really appreciate it. I think he's a pretty visionary guy. I think Jack Johnson is also a visionary and groundbreaking musician. Even though, on the outside, it seems like he's not doing anything very hard, as a musician he's able to make a stadium full of people sing everyone of his words. Not too many people of our generation have been able to do that. Dave Matthews, maybe? But I think people go to sing along at a Jack Johnson show. I think hip-hop is where a lot of pretty groundbreaking production stuff is going on. And I guess Radiohead is pretty groundbreaking but I've never really listened to them.

I'm not going to joke around, my manager wanted to release Lemonade as a free digital release like a year before they did that and I definitely saw the power in it. But the reason it was so groundbreaking was because they're going to sell a million copies, whereas if we did that we only would have sold like 150,000 copies, so it wouldn't have been in Time Magazine, you know?

• I know I haven't written about much TV of late, but let's face it, when your girlfriend is reduced to watching Project Runway reruns, the pickings are pretty slim. When the fall arrives, I'll have more. And no, I'm not afraid to start with Gossip Girl.

Who Made Manny?

Having spent less than a week with the Los Angeles Dodgers enigmatic left fielder Manny Ramirez now says he would like to end his career with the team. I wonder how long that sentiment will last.

Ramirez has been playing major league baseball for almost 15 years now and, even in this era of intense media scrutiny, we know surprisingly little about what makes this guy tick. Our only explanation for his absurd conduct is to turn our palms skyward, shrug our shoulders and repeat the cliche "That's just Manny being Manny."

He pouts. He doesn't hustle. He laughs off errors. He uses (likely) phony injuries as leverage. He shoves down senior citizens. And he's still loved by fans. How does this happen?

My question to you all, Who Made Manny? Is this the inevitable evolution of a spoiled athlete used to getting his way, content with the millions he knows he has made and will make, who treats the game he plays as just that, a game.

Is he a creation of the Red Sox front office? Did they repeatedly allow Manny to get away with these ridiculous antics. Did they choose to turn a blind eye to incidents, knowing they needed his bat in the middle of the lineup to contend for a World Series title, and thereby encourage his childish behavior?

Or is it the fans' undying love of him that fosters this behavior? And why do they love him? Is it the bat? Is it the smile? How is this guy given a free pass, when Kenny Rogers (shoving camera men) and others would be crucified for throwing an elderly clubhouse attendant to the ground? Really, does the smile make it all okay? If he scowled like Barry Bonds, would he be equally loathed?

He doesn't hustle, he's a lousy fielder, his minor injuries flare up when he faces hard-throwing right-handed pitchers, he laughs of errors, he hits 500 home runs, he is a World Series MVP, he beats up old men, he was essentially voted off the team by his teammates and yet fans continue to love the guy. How in the world does this happen? How does Manny come to be?

***

Brett Favre is back with the Pack and the quarterback competition begins tomorrow in Green Bay. This is probably how it should have been decided all along in an ideal world. But the ideal world doesn't include a media maelstrom following every breath Favre draws.

Now, even if Aaron Rodgers beats out Favre, there will be claims that the Packers' front office was desirous for Favre to go away and Rodgers was destined to win all along. The next few days at Packers' camp are going to be insane.

I know it's the summer and the NFL is short on news, but let's step back and think about what kind of undue attention this story has gotten. Favre had a great year last year, but Drew Brees threw for more yards and Derek Anderson had more TDs. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning is coming off surgery and Tom Brady is coming off a record-setting career year and a stinging loss in a Super Bowl that was supposed to serve as the Pats' coronation as the best team ever.

• Remember when Albert Pujols was supposed to have a terrible year because of all those injuries in the spring? Looks like that prognosis was a little off.

• Speaking of Pujols, Brad Lidge, the man whose psyche Pujols demolished with a monster home run in the 2005 NL Championship Series, has yet to blow a save in 2008.

• Good reporting by ESPN on the USA basketball team's previous opposition to China's human rights abuses and their current position that they're just there to play basketball. For the record, I have no problem with the stance. I also have no problem if an athlete does decide to speak out. For a detailed explanation on my position, see "speech, free."

Friday Findings: To watch for this weekend

Not much new news that wasn't available last night, so here's what I'm going to be watching for today and this weekend.

• Will Brett Favre accept the Packers' blood money to stay retired.

• How will Manny respond as a Dodger. Will he play harder? And will hustle nazi Larry Bowa get on his case if he doesn't run out ground balls?

• How will the Brewers respond after being swept by the Cubs in four games in Milwaukee?

• How will the Yankees' pitching staff respond to a new catcher in Pudge Rodriguez? A lot of pitchers just get comfortable throwing to certain guys. Maybe this trade will end up unhinging some of the progress the staff has made over recent weeks.

• And in just a weird Washington headline, an alt-rock drummer got busted for growing weed in the weeds by a turtle. You have to read it to appreciate it.

Here are the links to the FCNP version of Splinters and "Press Pass."

Manny Moved; Nats Trade for Depth

Manny Ramirez has been banished across the county by the Boston Red Sox. How bad did the Red Sox want to get rid of this guy? They dealt two prospects, and $7 million along with Manny and only got Jason Bay in return with the Pirates involved as the trade's third team.

Bay's a great ballplayer, don't get me wrong, but he's not Manny Ramirez ... more or less two prospects, $7 million and Manny Ramirez. Who wins? It's addition by subtraction for the Red Sox, but it feels like very costly subtraction. The Pirates on the other hand got four top prospects (two from the Sox, two from the Dodgers) and can now safely continue their quest for eternal mediocrity.

And it just wouldn't be a trade deadline without Trader Jim Bowden getting in on the action. The Nats sent Jhonny Nunez to the Yankees for the "Attorney General" Alberto Gonzalez, who projects to be a fine defensive shortstop in the bigs. Nunez has been sharp in a relief role with AA Harrisburg, but otherwise has a combined record of 2-8 with an ERA of 4.85 in stops at Potomac and Harrisburg. The Yanks must see something in him, just not sure what. It should be pointed out though that former Rays castoff Edwar Ramirez is one of the Yanks' top arms out of the bullpen and has a "no-hitter" through the month of July.

What the Yankees liked about Edwar when they acquired him was his high strikeout to walk ratio. Nunez's numbers in that category? 82 Ks to 21 BBs in Class A Potomac.

Updating a previous trade because I happened to be browsing minor league stats today: Washington's Emilio Bonifacio is hitting .464 in seven games with the AAA Columbus Clippers. And for all the talk that the Nats didn't get enough for Jon Rauch, Bonifacio may be the best haul any team received in return for a middle reliever ... that is, since hardly any bullpen types switched sides near the deadline.

Overdue Picking: Trades, Purdy and Judas Priest

Apologies to those that visited the site the past few days only to discover no new info. I've been busy settling into New York and a new job, but now I think we're ready to resume our schedule of regular updates.

The big news in baseball this time of year is on the trade front and there is no shortage of headlines this year. Mark Texeira to the Angels. Pudge Rodriguez to the Yankees. Manny Ramirez to the Marlins ... wait ... what???

Okay, so the last deal hasn't gone down yet, but there is a rumor the enigmatic left fielder will be dealt to the Marlins for some of their young talent like Jeremy Hermida and/or Josh Willingham. The Sox may then spin those players off to Pittsburgh for Jason Bay. If the Marlins make this trade I think they're nuts. Renting Manny (there's no way a franchise paying its entire roster $22 million coughs up $20 million for a lone player) isn't worth two valuable building blocks. If they are serious about investing in the team and finally ending their eternal rebuilding process, then it becomes a very interesting development.

With Manny in the lineup, the Fish would then sport a top of the order that looks something like this: Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu, Manny Ramirez, Dan Uggla, Mike Jacobs. I can't even count up how many home runs that is.

And if that deal falls through, Manny has another proposal for the Sox ... trade me for Favre.

***

Spent Tuesday night on a concert cruise around Manhattan listening to Joe Purdy and The Beautiful Girls. Purdy, as usual, was wonderful, performing a solo acoustic set of "Goldfish," "You Can Tell Georgia," "Brooklyn I'm Calling," "I Love the Rain the Most," and a few more tunes I hadn't heard before giving way to the headliners.

Got a chance to speak with him before the show and learned it may be a little while before the next album, Last Clock on the Wall, comes out. He just moved back to Arkansas and is taking time to help his family build a boat and fence. When he's done with the manual labor, he'll deal with the record. In the meantime, listen to plenty of existing tunes at his website.

He also told a group of fans, including my girlfriend, that I was an amazing writer. When one of the best songwriters I've heard calls me a great writer, let me tell ya, it does wonders for the ego. Thanks for the compliment, Joe.

***

Spoke with KK Downing of legendary metal gods/band Judas Priest about the band's new album, Nostradamus and the perils of leather pants. You can read about the album and the tour in the Falls Church News-Press when "Press Pass" goes live on the website later today. In the meantime, you can enjoy this bit about the band's run in with PETA over their wearing leather on stage:

Mike Hume: You guys had a run in with PETA about wearing leather on stage. What's your current stance in regard to their request?

KK Downing: They'll be very pleased to know it's all synthetic. In the early days, we did actually go to people in London and have stuff made of genuine leather. We found it really didn't wear very well. It used to stink and when you washed it, it would shrink. So we found this guy, Ray Brown, in Los Angeles who told us he had this great stuff, looks like leather, feels like leather, but you can wash it and it won't shrink. So that's hopefully put that one to bed.

Plenty Left in Yanks' Tank

The calls for Joe Girardi as "Manager of the Year" need to start up. Taking over for the iconic and beloved Joe Torre, Girardi caught no breaks. Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui all spent time on the DL, the youthful pitching corps failed to pan out as Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy imploded almost immediately. Heck, things got so desperate they signed Sidney Ponson. And yet, after two wins at Fenway, here they are 2.5 games back of first in the AL East and one game back of the Red Sox for the wild card.

Kyle Farnsworth also deserves heaps of credit for holding it together through his struggles and the heckling to throw lights out ever since Joba Chamberlain moved into the rotation.

***

Washington Capitals defenseman Shaone Morrisonn received about a $1 million raise through his arbitration hearing. Well deserved indeed. There's going to be some serious competition among Caps blueliners for ice time next season. Mike Green, Morrisonn and Tom Poti are locks, leaving Milan Jurcina, Jeff Schultz, John Erskine, Karl Alzner, Sami Lepisto and Brian Pothier (if he can finally shake his concussion problems) competing for three spots. Assuming Pothier doesn't make it back, which sadly seems possible, my money is on Schultz, Alzner and Jurcina.

FCNP Splinters & Press Pass

The FCNP version of Picking Splinters, takes a dip into my "magic" mailbag to answer some questions about the last week's trades.

"Press Pass" sits in with the Cherry Poppin' Daddies' Steve Perry to discuss the band's first album in seven years, their upcoming tour and how it's all part of the effort to convince the world the Daddies' aren't just swingsters.

And one final sports nugget from the Jeremy Shockey intro press conference indicating that my initial reaction that the Saints just acquired a headache as large as the Tight End's talent may pan out.

Bonds in Pinstripes? Giuliani Sues Devils

• The Yankees discussed acquiring Barry Bonds at a meeting of high-ranking Steinbrenners in Tampa, Fla. I still don't see it happening, but this sort of move that requires money instead of prospects, is the sort that would appeal to them. Of course, if you believe in the Bonds Conspiracy talk, you'll know it won't happen because the collusive owners won't allow it.

• The Post's Leonard Shapiro discusses the local radio changeover of Sports Talk 980 from a ClearChannel-owned Fox Sports station, to a Daniel Snyder-owned Redskinscentric, ESPN station. I am bummed about the replacement of Dan Patrick's show for the Colin Cowherd show. Listening to the infallible Cowherd is like a three-hour car ride with a know-it-all sibling. Unfortunately, like political talk shows that subscribe to the same Me-Smart-You-Idiot script, it somehow makes him highly popular. Doubtful that holds among UVA football fans though. I'll miss Patrick, who was never afraid to ask tough questions and bring on writers that were always on the ball with breaking news and insight. He wasn't afraid to jab at himself or his guests (like Reggie Miller's "full steam of head," gaffe). And his team in the production booth, Paulie, Seton, et al, were always entertaining. It's a good product, and now it's completely unavailable in Washington, D.C. (Baltimore's 105.7 FM) is the closest you'll come now.

• Rudy Giuliani's son was allegedly cut from the Duke University golf team for playing a team football game "harder than the other players liked." He's now suing the school, claiming the new golf coach manufactured reasons to kick him off the team. His reluctance to take a charge was not mentioned in the article, but is suspected by North Carolina fans.

• Chad Cordero is ticked at Nats GM Jim Bowden for spilling the beans about the non-tended contract on the radio before even discussing it with him. Cordero found out about the move from his father, whose friend heard the radio interview.

Cordero Cut Loose

Jim Bowden announced in an interview with D.C. sports radio station Sportstalk 980 that the club will not tender a contract to injured closer Chad Cordero next season. Cordero is coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum and likely won't be healthy for most, if not all of next season.

Here's the Post's take as well.

Tough break for The Chief, one of the most adored players on the Nats, and just an all-around nice guy. The team could still bring him back at a reduced price (he would have been due about $5 million had they tendered him) but he'll be free to sign elsewhere at the end of the season.

It might be time to bid bon voyage to Cordero. By the time he's healthy again, a number of young arms will have auditioned for the closer's role, including current ninth-inning-man Joel Hanrahan and minor leaguer Zech Zinicola or maybe even Shairon Martis, currently a starter at AAA Columbus, but he closed the Future Stars Game for the World team. Expect to see Martis get work in some capacity when the rosters expand.

If Cordero is willing to give the Nats a huge break, he may be back, but if not I'll miss him. He was one of the first players I interviewed when the team came to D.C. and I'll never forget his excitement while describing the unique RFK Stadium phenomenon of the bouncy bleachers.

No More LeBronzes, Fed Up and the Prettiest Sheep Pasture You'll Ever See

LeBron James guaranteed a gold medal for the U.S. Men's Basketball Team in Beijing. Obviously they're talented enough to back it up. The question is, will they be smart enough? The U.S. has previously been derailed by its stars failing to adapt to international teams' style of play. They're no longer the Dream Team, who could have beaten this current U.S. roster in its sleep. They're not talented enough to win this tournament based on talent alone. They'll have to play with their heads. If they do, they win. If they continue to be stubborn, not defend the jumper and take ill-advised, contested shots of their own, well we know how that ends already.

***

Roger Federer lost in the second round of the Rogers Cup. I think Federer is a ridiculous talent, but does anyone else think he might lack the motor to work hard to stay on top of the field like Tiger Woods does? I just think he's motivated, but he's not driven. His body language after losses sort of says, "Yeah, I'm sorta fine with that. I'm going to go have a sandwich now." I know very little about the guy, other than I wish I had his backhand, but it just doesn't feel like he's got much left in the tank.

***

Sports Illustrated has a series going with their top writers selecting their favorite sports venues. Michael Bamberger tabbed The Old Course in St. Andrews as his. Right now, that's fighting with Yankee Stadium for me if I had to pick. The whole town is just amazing and had this heaven-like quality where the edges seem to blur as if it's a dream ... of course that could have just been the moisture from the rain collecting on the edges of my contacts. I took a two-part look at my Old Course experience recently for the News-Press. You can read it here. Part One: Cold Feet on the Scottish Green; Part Two: Sharing St. Andrews.

More briefly ...

• Tim Hudson and Chipper Jones go down in Atlanta. Pack your toothbrush Mark Texeira. He'd look great in a Nationals' jersey ... next season.

• Washington Capitals' defenseman Shaonne Morrisonn's arbitration hearing is today. He deserves to win it. Dude enabled Mike Green to rack up his ridiculous goal total by being a stopper on the blue line ... oh and he played the final games of the season with a fractured jaw, unable to eat solid foods. Guys like that deserve raises.

• A Northern Virginia company has allegedly developed a urine-based HGH test. That would be a huge breakthrough if it proves reliable. I'm curious how the MLB Players' Union is going to dodge this one.

Manny Being Pansy?

Manny Ramirez is going to miss tonight's game after taking himself out of the lineup with a sore knee. That was news to Terry Francona who had the enigmatic left fielder pegged to play. It's stories like this, combined with the demands to know his future and claims that the front office keeps deceiving him that makes me think Manny is gone next year. $20 million can go a long way towards options (Mark Texeira, Matt Holiday) that don't include a guaranteed headache.

In other news, SI's Jon Heyman says some GMs are ticked at Jim Bowden for dealing Rauch for only Bonifacio, saying it may have limited the asking prices for other clubs dealing bullpen men. Apparently the Nats were asking for top prospects Michael Bowden and Jed Lowrie from the Red Sox, but only wanted Bonifacio from from D-backs.

Nats' Latest Move Lands 'Fastest Player in Baseball'

Chico Harlan's article for the Post today has a few more tidbits on the Nats' roster moves. Among the highlights: Emilio Bonifacio, the spoils received for Jon Rauch who deemed untouchable by the D-backs until two months ago, ran a 6.2-second 60-yard dash when he was evaluated by Nats Asst. GM Mike Rizzo. By comparison, Maurice Green holds the world record for the 60m (roughly 65 yards). That mark is 6.39 seconds. A stat like that makes it safe to label the Nats' 2009 presumed starter at second (confirmed by Jim Bowden in the article) "the fastest player in all of baseball," as Rizzo claims.

I'm softening my stance on the Guzman deal. His salary isn't ridiculous at $8 million per year, compared to other starting shortstops (Edgar Renteria is at $10 million, Julio Lugo is at $9 million and right now Guzman is better than both). He also trimmed his expectations on the length of the deal given his gross underproduction since he first signed with Washington (discussed in the article). It's not often that a player feels remorse and cuts a deal to a last-place team with no hope of contention during the life of Guzman's two-year extension.

Opining on Madden's Man Crush

No huge news today, so I'll scrape the bottom of the barrel and briefly give my take on Brett Favre. There are no good outcomes for either Favre or the Packers because he's not going to play for a contender and he doesn't want to earn back his starting job with the Packers (which he deserves some criticism for, by the by). I think Pack GM Ted Thompson just has to start at the worst case scenario (Favre winning a Super Bowl with Minnesota or Chicago) and work backwards. I think having him in camp is the next worst outcome. You think the media is swarming now, just wait until they hand Favre a microphone every day. Getting a pair of draft picks for a one- or two-season quarterback might be the best option available. The Wisconsin State Journal is saying the Packers are gauging Favre's value with the Jets, Texans, Ravens, Dolphins, Panthers, Buccaneers, Falcons and Redskins. The Skins are out because their salary cap situation means they'd have to send one of their pivotal players back to Green Bay instead of picks and I think the team doesn't want to obstruct Jason Campbell's development anymore (see: Offensive coordinator turnover rate). I doubt the Dolphins are interested, as they have three decent options and need all the picks they can get to rebuild. Of those remaining teams, only Tampa Bay has more than $13 million in cap space to fit Favre, making them the logical choice to land him according to SI's Peter King. I tend to agree, it makes sense. But will Favre go? And Tampa plays Green Bay this year, and made the playoffs last season despite QB woes. If Favre is the missing piece in Tampa the playoffs could get more interesting than a plane full of snakes.

• I heard that Ron Artest was trying to sign with Detroit ... just didn't know it was the WNBA team. A game between Detroit and Los Angeles ended in a brawl involving two of the league's top players in rookie Candace Parker and "legend" Lisa Leslie. The latter was tossed to the floor by Detroit coach Rick Mahorn. Did the WNBA just get interesting?

• FWIW Joel Hanrahan is Washington's new closer following the Rauch trade.

• Rutgers Football Head Coach Greg Schiano can apparently

cut out on his contract if the school's new stadium isn't completed by 2009. C'mon. It's New Jersey, do you really think the unions (and James Gandolfini) are going to let that stadium go unfinished and watch the program slip back into mediocrity? Fugetaboutit!

• Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Childress, he of the pristine 'fro that would make Wilt Chamberlain blush, apparently signed for $20 million to play in Greece. That's allegedly less money than the Hawks offered ($36 million), which means it's worth $16 million to get off of the Atlanta Hawks. More coming on the trend of pro talent heading to Europe later.

• ACC officials announced that Nationals Park will host a bowl game this winter that will feature (if bowl eligible) Navy and ... wait for it ... the NINTH-best team in the ACC. For the last three seasons, you couldn't pay me to watch the BEST team in the ACC. Here's a short list of what I'd rather do than watch this game: Listen to "Little Women" on audio cassette, watch a WNBA game that doesn't involve Mixed Martial Arts action and die on a plane full of snakes. However, if the teams are bowl eligible, that means one of them will have the best winning percentage of any home team to play on the field this year.

Nats Make Their Moves

The Washington Nationals just dealt closer Jon Rauch (4-2, 17 saves, 2.98 ERA) to the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2B prospect Emilio Bonifacio. Baseball America rated Bonifacio as the D-Backs No. 6 prospect.

According to the Nats' official release, Bonifacio (.302 (111-for-367) with 18 doubles, five triples, one home run, 29 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 85 games with Tucson of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League this year) is one of the fastest players in the minors and projects as a future lead-off hitter. Shouldn't be too hard for him to meet that expectation on the Nats, where the only requirement is to have two functional legs. A pulse is optional, as proven by current leadoff man Willie Harris (.221 avg. through the All-Star break).

Next they made sure Bonifacio, who I'm sure will be the Nats' 2009 Opening Day starter at second, had a double play partner, giving SS Cristian Guzman a two-year contract extension.

A few thoughts:

• I was afraid GM Jim Bowden would try to hold up the bank for Rauch like he did with both he AND Chad Cordero last trade deadline. A top prospect at a position where the Nats had no long-term options is a nice haul.

• Is Arizona the new Cincinnati? Bowden used to love dealing for players on his old team (Austin Kearns, Willy Mo Pena, Jose Guillen, Ryan Wagner, etc., etc., etc.). Now it's Asst. GM Mike Rizzo, the former Director of Scouting with the Diamondbacks, grabbing from his old team. Washington previously acquired Matt Chico and minor leaguer Garret Mock from Arizona for Livan Hernandez.

• Financial terms haven't been reported yet, but my gut reaction is that I don't like the Guzman deal. Last time he was in a contract year he batted .274 with 10 SBs and 84 runs scored. Next year he drops to .219. Next year he's injured. This year (another contract year) he's had a career year (.310, 56 R thus far), but I'm hesitant about what next year holds.

His name was on the trade market, with teams like the Dodgers interested. He could have brought a nice piece in return. Now he's under contract and (depending on the terms) unlikely to move. Feels a lot like the deals the Nats gave to Ronnie Belliard and Dmitri Young last July. Those contracts haven't panned out at all.

UPDATE: MLB.com writer Bill Ladson reports the Guzman deal is two-years at $8 million per. The Nats must really think he can replicate this year's success for that kind of money.