Hanley Ramirez: Back soreness is ‘worst pain I’ve ever had’

Perhaps you thought Hanley Ramirez's fantasy stock hit rock bottom on April 24, when an 0-for-4 performance left him with a slash line of .182/.299/.242. At the time, it was his fourth consecutive 0-fer. He had only two multi-hit games to his credit, and he hadn't yet homered.

Over the subsequent four weeks, however, Ramirez managed to raise his average over 40 points, stealing six bases and hitting four bombs. Things were clearly improving. (OK, maybe not the ground ball rate, which is still a career-high 55.1 percent. But everything else was trending the right direction). Then came this disturbing news, via the Palm Beach Post:

[Ramirez] was pulled from Sunday's game in the second inning and said the back pain got so bad that he had to stand during most of the team's flight from Los Angeles to Phoenix.

"I feel it doing anything. I can't even put my shoes on. To get up from bed I have to take 10, 15 seconds. I have to do everything slow," Ramirez said. "That's the worst pain I've ever had in my life, in my career."

He said the back stiffness has bothered him "about a month" and now is affecting his upper left leg. "I'm getting tingles in my leg. That's not a good sign," he said.

No, leg tingles do not seem like a good sign, at least under normal circumstances. Expect an MRI, perhaps followed by Ramirez's first DL visit. Not good. Emilio Bonifacio played short for the Marlins on Monday, going 2-for-3 with two walks and a run scored. Nice results, but Bonifacio's only great skill is speed. He's not an acceptable Ramirez replacement. No one is, really.

So this, it appears, is the low point for Hanley's stock. His season line is just .210/.306/.309, he can't sit on planes, he's tingly. Bad news all around.

The most popular fantasy adds at his position on Tuesday have been Erick Aybar and Yunel Escobar, but those two were already long gone in deeper formats. This is a brutal spot to fill at mid-season (which, of course, is part of the reason that you drafted Hanley so early in March). Even Darwin Barney ? no power, little speed ? is 62 percent owned. If Ramirez indeed hits the DL, most of you will need to roll the dice with someone like Jeff Keppinger, Sean Rodriguez, Ryan Theriot, Jason Bartlett or Brendan Ryan, then hope for a not-too-disastrous stretch.

Has anyone bought shares of Ramirez this week? If so, what was the price, and what's your format? Let's get a price check. He's an obvious target in head-to-head, where September's production is so much more important than June's. But in roto it's a different discussion.

I recently added Bonifacio in an NL-only league, and lemme just tell you, it felt awful. If you've had a similar experience, please share...

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Photo via US Presswire

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Video: Clijsters’ unreal, double-bounce winner at French Open

Even though Kim Clijsters won't be around to see the second week of the French Open, her unbelievable ricochet winner against Aranxta Rus lives on and likely will hold up as the shot of the tournament.

Watch as a forehand return from the four-time Grand Slam champion hits off the net, bounces on the top of the netpost and then drops in for an unexpected winner.

How improbable is a shot like this? Let's just say that if it was a shaky clip set on a practice court, we'd all think it was a fake.

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CFL offseason camp facility raided by FBI agents

No sports executive ever wants to hear that anything with any connection to their team was "raided by federal agents". That's something several CFL teams are going to have to deal with this week, though, following an apparent FBI raid on Florida training facility All-Star Sports. The facility has prominent connections to both the NFL and CFL, including serving as an offseason training spot for players and a tryout venue for CFL teams. Its website includes a testimonial video from Calgary Stampeders head coach/general manager John Hufnagel (interspersed with video footage from a workout the Stampeders held at the facility). "We're having a football camp and I'd just like to thank all the people from All-Star Sports Camp for making it a great success for us," Hufnagel says in the video.

No date is given for that video, but a November 2008 post on the facility's news page congratulating the Stampeders for their Grey Cup victory mentions that they held a camp at All-Star Sports in early 2008. The post also says they were expected to return in 2009, and this press release indicates that the Stampeders signed offensive lineman Sam Allen to a contract last April following an invitation-only camp held at the facility in early 2010. The Stampeders were also in Florida conducting tryout camps last week. The location of that camp isn't clear, but it's possible it was at the same facility (especially considering that Steve Milton's recent Hamilton Spectator column on OVWs, which I discussed here, mentioned that the Stampeders' camp would be in DeLand, which is listed as the location of the camp's mailing address here).

It's not only the Stampeders that have been closely connected to this facility (logo pictured above), though. The Saskatchewan Roughriders held invitation-only tryout camps at All-Star Sports on April 8 and 9 this year (one day before their more noted open workout, which saw 59-year-old former Syracuse player Charles Chulada try out for the team). According to The Regina Leader-Post, those camps featured about 40 players and went on for a couple of days. Also, Toronto Argonauts director of player personnel Mike Hagen is mentioned as having recently "coached [at] All Star Sports football camps in Florida" on his team bio, and the camp lists former Argonauts and Stampeders offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Tony Marciano as its director of football operations. Thus, the facility has plenty of notable CFL ties.

However, further research into the raid suggests that while this could still be problematic, it's also not as bad as it could have been. When people hear about a federal investigation of a sports facility, many minds jump immediately to drugs, and with good reason. That doesn't appear to be what's going on here. Instead, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that the raid was related to Stephen B. DeLuca (pictured, right), who "works at a sports training business" (with his wife listed as an owner), and that he's charged with 33 counts of bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy relating to loan arrangements obtained for his former company, Delco Oil Inc.

Those are obviously serious accusations (DeLuca could face up to 20 years in jail if convicted), but at first glance, they wouldn't appear to really reflect on the CFL teams involved with All-Star Sports (unlike drug charges, which certainly would raise some uncomfortable questions for every team involved with the facility). Fraud is no laughing matter, especially on this kind of scale, but DeLuca is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and fraud accusations against an employee of a training facility in reference to a previous business he owned wouldn't seem too likely to really do much to the facility or the teams that use it.

The case isn't quite that simple, though. Some quick searching turned up this 2009 record of the Capital Source Finance, LLC v. Delco Oil case, a civil case in Maryland that appears to have led to this criminal case. Essentially, Capital Source alleged in that case that DeLuca and his business obtained $18 million from them under false pretenses, and Judge gave a default judgement against DeLuca. What's notable about it, though, is that "All-Star Sports Camp, Inc" is the second (and only other) defendant named alongside DeLuca in that judgement. That complete document can be found here. A particularly interesting line is on page 13, where the judge writes that DeLuca "is the sole shareholder and corporate officer of Defendants". Thus, it would appear that at least in 2009, DeLuca was intimately involved in the sports camp.

It's worth noting that All-Star Sports is alleged to not have the cleanest record on other fronts, either. One particularly interesting result that came up in a search about them is this blog post criticizing the company. It's an anonymous post and the only entry on that particular blog, so take it with plenty of salt, but it does mention that former professional athletes were promised payment to coach at the facility's youth camps, only to have the cheques bounce. Here's the key part

"They attended in good faith and trained these young athletes but once they returned home, their checks either bounced or were rejected straight away. The man who is responsible for this is Steve DeLuca. Mr. DeLuca verbally and otherwise contracted the afore mentioned athlete/coaches and then subsiquently did NOT PAY THEM. I know for a fact that several of them have redeposited the checks they received from "All Star" / DeLuca. The checks have been returned unpaid and bank charges are of course adding up. At this point most of them can not redeposit the checks anymore. Keep in mind that DeLuca charges $500.00 per child for a three day training program by these athlete/ coaches. DeLuca has one group come in monday to wednesday and another group thursday to saturday. They are not small groups of young athletes. He had many participants and could have easily paid the athlete/coaches who trained them." [sic]

Give that as much or as little credence as you like, but between the court case and those allegations, it certainly seems there was a bit of a shadow hanging over All-Star during the Stamps' and Riders' camps there. That's not necessarily to say that they should have picked up on it; there was also plenty to suggest the organization was credible. Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples headed out there to write a feature on NFL prospect Callahan Bright (who now appears to have wound up with the Arena Football League's Philadelphia Soul) last year, and didn't appear to notice anything wrong. Similarly, the Stamps' experience must have been pretty positive for them to keep coming back year after year. The camp's staff list also includes plenty of coaches and trainers who appear reputable, including Marciano, renowned University of Miami running backs coach Don Soldinger and former St. Louis Cardinals' quarterback Steve Pisarkiewicz. It's also worth mentioning that the CFL teams were likely only at the facility for a couple of days each year and were there to try out free-agent prospects rather than conduct a full training camp, so their expectations were probably lower than they would be for a full training camp facility. Still, it's interesting how much you can find on All-Star Sports with a quick web search.

Keep in mind that no CFL team appears to have done anything particularly wrong here; they just rented a facility for workouts. Thus, this probably won't have any noticeable impact on the league other than perhaps forcing teams to find a new Florida venue for tryout camps, and even that isn't a sure thing (keep in mind that these are just charges at this point, so anything could still happen with the camp). However, reputations are important things to preserve, and the CFL has always been a league that does best when it presents an upright and honest image. This doesn't seem likely to dent that image too much, but it might be a good idea for teams to do some extra research on the companies they're doing business with to try and avoid situations like this in the future.

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NBA Finals 2011: Will the Heat Be Able to Slow Down Dirk Nowitzki?

This matchup is what the series is all about, and I think Dirk Nowitzki will cause more problems for Miami defensively than LeBron or Wade will cause for the Mavs.

Chris Bosh is not an exceptional defender. I don?t see him being able to guard Nowitzki as well or better than Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Pau Gasol or LaMarcus Aldridge have done so far in the playoffs.

Giving up points is one thing, but the problem with guarding Dirk is you pick up tons of fouls. Serge Ibaka had 5 fouls twice and hit 4 fouls two times in the last series, while Collison fouled out twice, had 5 fouls once and 4 fouls another time. For OKC, sending Ibaka to the bench was not a huge deal, because Collison could come in and play defense better and have potential to score the same amount of points.

Miami does not have that luxury. If Bosh is in foul trouble, they go with a Haslem and Joel Anthony look. Haslem?s defense is good?although he is better defending a more traditional power forward?but his offense is not at the same level as Bosh. With Bosh off the floor, Miami is reduced to LeBron and Wade running with an iffy Mike Bibby, no offense Anthony and either Haslem or Miller who are meant to be fourth or fifth options.

Why Not Put LeBron On Him?

LeBron James would really bother Dirk Nowitzki, but once again, foul trouble is a concern. The Heat can still win with Bosh on the bench, they will not win with James on the bench. Not only do they become less of a threat offensively, but then Peja Stojakovic can come in for more minutes and potentially hit threes over Mike Miller/James Jones.

I think the Heat will use Bosh and Haslem on Dirk Nowitzki for the first three quarters then try out LeBron on him in the fourth. For this to work, James will have to have only 2 or 3 fouls going into the fourth quarter, because he will likely pick up 2 while guarding Dirk for 12 minutes. If he hits number 5, then he has to be less aggressive on Dirk for fear of fouling out. 

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Mini-racing: Get the entire Charlotte I experience in two minutes

It was one heck of a weekend of racing, and depending on your own condition, you may or may not have been awake and/or coherent for much of it. Good thing we're here for ya! We'll wrap up the weekend with the five best events of the races, and you can guess which one is No. 1:

Congrats to Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth on races well won. We're on a bit of a roll these days, aren't we?

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BDL Playoff Previews, starring the NBA Finals

The NBA Finals start on Tuesday night, with the Miami Heat hosting the Dallas Mavericks. Kindly join me, and the staggering genius of Dan Devine and Eric Freeman, as we break down the final round of the NBA's playoff bracket.

***

The way I see it, the way I expect these Finals to shake out? I believe things are about to get weird.

Or, they're about to get great. There really are only two options. This has been a playoff run that, just about from Day One during mid-April, hasn't been touched by too many postseasons in recent memory. In fact, the only thing that comes close to it, in recent memory, is the 2006 playoff run that featured a litany of fantastic, close contests. That postseason also finished with the Heat and Mavericks in the Finals, though longtime readers of this site will no doubt deduce that I term that a coincidence and nothing else.

Really, the only step for either team this time is to either give us a Finals for the ages (no complaints there), with the requisite two blowout games being surrounded by four or perhaps five close and crazy ones, or something much stranger but no less entertaining. This is why, on a fluke, Dallas could take two games to start in Miami, winning by a total of five points, with the Mavericks pulling away for some late and shocking reason that could include a strange hot hand showing up, or unrepresentative play from a Miami stalwart.

(Also remember that any member of the Big Three falling short in the clutch, now, would be termed "unrepresentative," and that's progress. Three months ago this team was, honestly, betraying itself and the game of basketball with its unfocused and inefficient play down the stretch of close contests. The team appeared to prefer to play the martyr more than it wanted to do what was needed to win, and it was insulting. Now? The Heat just look like what it is -- a group featuring the best small forward and shooting guard in the game, with an All-Star power forward, surrounded by workable rotation parts. That is to say, a should-be champion.)

All I can see is strangeness, though. Dallas winning even if Udonis Haslem, Chris Bosh and LeBron James hold Dirk Nowitzki to sub-40 percent shooting. Miami sweeping by a total of seven points in four games. Mike Bibby coming out of nowhere, Tyson Chandler averaging 12 minutes per game due to foul trouble. Jason Kidd, Finals MVP. Toss it all out there; I think it feasible based on the smarts and talent these two teams possess.

Though Dallas isn't exactly the 2005 Phoenix Suns in terms of pushing the ball, I do think Miami spent most of its time off between the Eastern Conference finals and NBA Finals working on transition defense. The team was brilliant in often shutting down Chicago's transition work, but they understand that Dallas is another monster in that regard. Kidd will find the finishers that Derrick Rose could and would not, and Dallas owns finishers that Derrick Rose did not have to pass to (two different things, by the way). As a result, look for Miami to average about 1.7 offensive rebounds per seven quarters.

Dallas has to be potent from just about everywhere. DeShawn Stevenson has to hit or die, Jason Terry needs to have Bibby flailing to keep up or Mario Chalmers muttering to himself for following the ball, and Dirk has to continue to take good threes and follow-through like the beast that he is. Chandler has to hedge without hacking, Kidd has to help on the boards, and pretty much the entire team has to play the game of its life, every night.

Miami? It just has to play its game. Because the team's typical game should be more than enough to topple a team like Dallas. That's not a slight to the Mavs. To say "a team like Dallas" is to say, "a championship-worthy team that could have you down by 20 before you knew what hit you." Dallas is fantastic. But Miami? The Heat are something beyond that. Ungodly defense, most times. Unstoppable offense, especially providing they go smart with their perimeter decisions.

Even still? Ah, what the hell. Keep the playoffs weird.

Mavs in six.

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Dan Devine presents …

Well, gang, this is it. Just one more visit from our old friends before they go away on summer vacation. Yes, it's kind of sad, but it's also been some kind of journey, hasn't it?

When we started way back when, tomboy Joey was in love with her lifelong friend Dawson, but didn't know how to tell him about how her feelings for him had changed. Now, after so much life has been lived, Joey's a fast-rising junior editor at a New York publishing house and Dawson's producing a teen TV drama. So much has changed!

Now that I think about it, it's very possible that I'm remembering a different journey. Oh, well. I think we can all agree that "Dawson's Creek" would have been a lot more fun if the blonde film dork was played by a 7-foot German. Plus, Rick Carlisle would've made a great Pacey.

The series finale of "PLAAAAAAAAAAYOFFS!" follows. Here to offer their made-up perspective on the NBA Finals are 7-foot-4 Utah Jazz center-turned-celebrity motivational speaker Mark Eaton and 310-year veteran/olde-tyme crustbucket Ol' Man Howard. Feel free to read it while sitting on a dock beside a calm body of water, staring at the setting summer sun, and listening to Paula Cole on your Discman.

Mark Eaton: The NBA Finals start tonight, and for the first time in your illustrious career, Olie, you're going to be a part of it. How are you feeling?

Ol' Man Howard: Better'n expected. That bout of grocer's itch has cleared, and I've nary a touch of the King's Evil this morning. Haven't felt this good since before Rutherford B. Hayes leg-whipped me in Cincinnatuh back in '60.

ME: That's great to hear! And I've got to say, as successful as you've been, you and your teammates on the Heat haven't looked this good all season. With that stifling half-court defense, more balanced contributions from a second unit led by the now-healthy Udonis Haslem, and LeBron James taking over down the stretch to put games away, it really seems like you're rounding into form at the right time.

OMH: Can't start thinkin' like that now. We may've played like the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots thus far, sure, but if we don't stay focused, we'll wind up just like the Oshkosh All-Stars. Seen it happen too many times, 'specially when the other side's got someone like that tall blonde job they got.

ME: To be sure, Dirk Nowitzki has been sensational this postseason. Dallas' offense seems to work best when he's able to draw the attention of more than one defender, opening up passing lanes that he can take advantage of with his height and vision, which leads to the Mavericks moving the ball quickly to find an open look for one of their gifted shot-makers. How do you handle Nowitzki without giving his teammates free reign?

OMH: Ain't my place to talk too much about it ? the young feller's got all a plan and all manner of charts, same as always. Let us just say, for argument's sake, that it'll be "interesting" to see how well the German shoots no-footed jumpers.

ME: Ah, I see ? so the plan is to get physical with Dirk, then?

OMH: Let us just say it'll be "interesting" to see me beat him to the floor with a hickory switch until he wails for mercy, then kick him on the ground until he wails for more mercy, of which there will be none, only a new switch.

ME: That's completely illegal! You'll be disqualified, probably suspended and possibly arrested!

OMH: Let us just say it'd be "interesting" to note that I'm "utterly disposable," "only valuable in very specific contexts" and "acting under express orders from President Riley."

ME: What a disgusting way to enter the NBA Finals.

OMH: Disgusting like a fox.

ME: That's not even a thing.

OMH: Sure 'tis. Disgusting like the rabid fox that's going to sic that Holger guy before Game 3.

ME: I want no part of this. You've changed, partner.

OMH: Maybe that King's Evil persists after all.

ME: Well, I don't think your creepy and ridiculous actions will pay off. I think Dirk's too strong to be beaten to the floor by an old man, and I think Dallas' offense is too good to be stopped, even by rabid-dog defense. I'm picking Dallas in seven.

OMH: Villainy. Someone's got to do it. Heat in five.

(Dan doesn't think Juwan Howard will actually sic a rabid canine on an older German man, but he does think the Heat will win in six games.)

***

Eric Freeman's Reputation Index

The regular season counts, but the postseason is where reputations are made. Tracy McGrady never won a playoff series and will always be seen as a disappointment. Derek Fisher lacks several fundamental basketball skills but will always be seen as a champion because he makes big shots when it counts. Chauncey Billups owes his entire nickname to the 2004 playoffs. The point being that playoff performance skews national perception of NBA players beyond all reason. In that vein, behold the BDL Reputations Index, your guide to what's at stake for the top names in the conference finals.

LeBron James: The Heat exist to win championships, not play for them. So while LeBron has seen some rehabilitation to his image over the past few weeks, particularly in the sense that pretty much everyone with half a brain now agrees he's the best player in the world, he's still going to be viewed as a selfish jerk until he hoists the Larry O'Brien Trophy above his head and engages in a rehearsed celebration with his fellow Heatles. "The Decision" put James on enough people's bad sides to ensure that he'll have his detractors even if he wins one championship; at this point it may only be enough if he surpasses Michael Jordan's six rings. But winning this series and a Finals MVP award would help put him past True MVP status and make him The Once and Future King for at least another year. That would also be great news for Nike, because they've sunk too much money into the Witness campaign to abandon it now.

Dwyane Wade: Wade is pretty well established as one of the five best players in the NBA, but it says something about his secondary status with this year's Heat that they were able to beat a very good Bulls team in five games despite his relatively poor performance. If Wade plays an average Finals, whether in victory or defeat, it's possible that he'll feel something of a backlash, or at least a growing feeling that he's the rare superstar whose team doesn't really depend on him much to win. That's hogwash, of course: Anyone who watched the Heat regularly this season knows Wade has been a huge part of their success. Regardless, anything short of magnificence may put him in a class similar to that of Scottie Pippen, another amazing player who is often underrated because he happened to play next to a once-in-a-generation basketball savant.

Chris Bosh: The butt of jokes since he signed with Miami in July, Bosh isn't likely to become free from mockery if the Heat win a championship, because he's a goofy personality in a league where machismo reigns. Still, a strong performance that helps the Heat to a championship would do him a world of good, particularly given his strong performances against Chicago. Bosh can become a ridiculous person while being widely recognized as a surefire All-Star who gives the Heat a different look at the offensive end. He'll never be a banger, but that doesn't mean he's worthless. A championship would remind the world of the considerable talents that made him such a prize last summer.

Erik Spoelstra: Spo has never been mentioned among the best coaches in the league, so his job security on a team with players of this caliber depends almost entirely on rings, not process, or improvement, or anything else that normal coaches can depend on for extensions. If the Heat can't beat the Mavericks, whether in four games or seven, then there will almost certainly be some talk that Spoelstra isn't the right man to lead his team. Perhaps Pat Riley would even consider making a change this offseason. However, if the Heat capture a title, then Spo will be conferred with legitimacy almost immediately and gain new levels of respect from peers and fans alike.

Dirk Nowitzki: Only the most stubborn fans still think Dirk is soft, and a choker, and all those other bad words hordes heave at any star player who has the misfortune of putting up great numbers on a good team that doesn't accomplish much in the postseason. Few players can match his career ? the defining controversy shouldn't be whether or not he's the best foreign player in NBA history, but by what margin he holds that title. But even if Dirk deserves a great deal of respect right now, there's no question that a championship would vault him to another level of historical greatness. People will remember how great Dirk Nowitzki was on a basketball court. The major issue for his career now is how hushed their tones are while they do so.

Mark Cuban: Few owners in sports history have been as immediately successful as Mark Cuban -- the Mavericks have not had a single mediocre season since he took over in 2000. However, his antics and continuing criticism for referees have made him difficult to accept for many sports executives, including MLB commissioner Bud Selig, who didn't ever seem too thrilled about the prospect of Cuban buying the Chicago Cubs. An NBA title wouldn't necessarily justify Cuban's behavior, but it would make him less of an outcast among the old guard of sports owners and executives. Who knows, maybe we'd even see him at the helm of a downtrodden baseball team soon after.

Jason Kidd: No matter what happens in this series, Kidd will be best remembered as one of the two or three best pure point guards of his era. A ring would add to both his legacy and resume. Over the past few years, Kidd has been considered too old to lead Dallas to ultimate glory, and at times the subject of the trade that robbed the team of much-needed athleticism in the form of Devin Harris. Leading the Mavericks offense to a championship would put a bow on the late period of Kidd's career, turning it from a nondescript decline to a graceful transition to another style of play.

Jason Terry: There have been a lot of players like Terry in NBA history: borderline All-Star talents who aren't quite stars but nevertheless do lots of important things for good teams and are only remembered by the fans that rooted for them and a select cadre of NBA diehards. Championships make these players much easier to remember and sometimes even turn people into Hall of Fame candidates. Terry has been a dependable second option for close to a decade, but he doesn't have one accomplishment to make him an especially notable semi-star. If the Mavs win this series, Terry will likely have a huge role in the upset. If that's the case, he'll surely grab people's attention.

My pick? Heat in six.

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Norm MacDonald not so sure about his 25k bet on ‘Pacman’

Norm MacDonald is a huge sports fan and he likes to gamble. That's a perfect combination on a big fight weekend.

The host of "Norm MacDonald's Sports Show" on Comedy Central plunked down 25 large on Manny Pacquiao is his fight against "Sugar" Shane Mosley.

He visited Pacquiao to get a little confidence boost. Let's just say Pacman's new diet shook MacDonald a bit.

You can watch the Pacquiao-Mosley pay-per-view right here on Yahoo! Sports.

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Pavlik gets the job done in comeback fight

LAS VEGAS _ All week long Kelly Pavlik was asked about his return from a battle against alcoholism, but the fighter kept saying don't sleep on his opponent. He was right. Alfonso Lopez, with only 21 pro fights under his belt, gave the former middleweight champ a damn good fight. Pavlik came on late and finish with a great tenth round to take a majority decision, 99-91, 98-92 and 95-95, in an undercard fight on the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Yahoo! Sports' lead boxing writer Kevin Iole scored it 98-92 and I had it 97-93.

Lopez (21-1) actually outlanded Pavlik 180-168. But it was the Youngstown-native who landed the heavier shots as the fight went along. He sent a message in the final round by landing a ton of left hooks. Lopez came out aggressively in the final round, but was stopped in his track with 1:50 left in the fight. His offense stopped as he began to back up. Pavlik (37-2, 30 KOs) couldn't finish Lopez in the final minute, but he looked like he could've gone down at any moment.

Pavlik, the former WBO and WBC middleweight champ went to rehab for issues with alcohol twice in late 2010 and early 2011.

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Mosley says he’s ready for big fight, Camp Pacquiao believes it

Shane Mosley gassed and got picked apart by Floyd Mayweather. Even more damning was his lackluster fight against Sergio Mora. So how is he going to compete with the best fighter in the business? It sure looks like age has caught up with "Sugar" Shane and he's in real trouble against Manny Pacquiao.

Mosley, 39, says ignore the last two fights.

"I don't think those fights have anything to do with what I do against Pacquiao, because styles make fights," said Mosley during a prefight teleconference. "But if it wasn't for those two fights, I probably wouldn't be here today. So those fights were needed."

Needed for what? Was he lacking experience or rounds? Or did he need to look lackluster to get this fight with Pacquiao? That's up for interpretation.

If you listen to Bob Arum, Freddie Roach and Manny Pacquiao, they chose Mosley based on his history as an action fighter who could help sell pay-per-views, not because he's an easy mark.

"Mosley brings speed, power and he has a good team behind him. I think we have a big challenge ahead of us. Manny is motivated and he's motivated for a reason because of Shane Mosley.� That means he respects him also. That's what excites us about this fight," said Roach.

Camp Pacquiao is also motivated to stop a guy in Mosley, who's never been taken out short of the distance.

"If the knockouts come, they come.� What matters is the fight that we can give to the people and the fans. I want them to be happy and excited about our performance," said Pacquiao.

Roach was more definitive about the fighter's goal.

"Shane's a tough guy, a very durable guy.� It would be incredible for Manny to be the first one to stop him and just prove to the world how much better he is than that guy that couldn't stop him (Floyd Mayweather, Jr.).� I think Manny will fight at a fast pace.� I don't know if he'll (Mosley) be prepared to fight at that pace but we're going to force the action and we're going to go for it this time. If it comes, it comes.� I think Manny is definitely the guy to do it."

You can watch the Pacquiao-Mosley pay-per-view right here on Yahoo! Sports.

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MLB Draft 2011: All the Latest Buzz from Around the Web

The draft is officially a week away and rumors are flying like crazy.

Let's start near the top, with projected No. 1 overall pick Anthony Rendon.

- Rendon saw time at second base during a two-game stretch in the Conference USA tournament. It was the first time in his career that the Gold Glove-caliber third baseman has seen time at second. According to Baseball America's John Manuel, Rendon was flawless in the first game, but made an error in Game 2.

This can be viewed through two different lenses—one being that Rendon hasn't played in the field at all this season, and getting him some reps at second proves to teams that his arm and footwork are still good. Two, second base could be a legitimate long-term position for the projected top pick. Sports Illustrated's Kirk Kenny seems to believe in the former.

- In a somewhat strange move that can either be interpreted as a strong commitment to education or a creative leveraging ploy, Josh Bell, one of the top high-school hitters in the 2011 draft crop, has announced that he is going to forgo joining the pro ranks in favor of playing college ball at Texas. 

The move is made all the more interesting due to the fact that Bell is represented, or rather "advised," by super agent Scott Boras. Education does seem to be a vital part of the Bell family values, but as a bargaining ploy, the move could earn Bell a few extra hundred thousand dollars.

Of course, heading off to Texas could make Bell the potential No. 1 overall pick coming out as a college junior in 2014.

It remains to be seen how the move will affect Bell's status in the first round, but there's still a week until draft day.

- Going back to Rendon for another minor news tidbit, Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik came out with some harsh words for the third baseman and his adviser, also Scott Boras, who have refused to release medical records detailing the extent of Rendon's shoulder injury sustained prior to the 2011 season. To the Seattle Times, he said:

 "You have to basically work through the agent. A player has to grant permission, and the agent is in the middle of that. A lot is at stake for them, too. If a player has a chance to go very high, it makes sense, if they feel very good about their medical history, why not release it? Disclose it. It could benefit the player. If you don't get (the medical history), for whatever reason, you might have to ask why."

- In a bit of sad news, Texas A&M right-hander and potential first-round pick John Stilson was diagnosed with a torn labrum, and will not only miss the remainder of the 2011 season, but will also likely miss out on a first-round selection.

Stilson was one of the top performing pitchers in college baseball this season, posting a 5-2 record, a 1.68 ERA and a 92:29 K:BB ratio. Stilson is another in a long line of relievers who made the switch to starting, and it seems that is likely the reason that he came down with the ailment.

After pitching 79 innings as a reliever in 2010, Stilson pitched 91.1 innings this season. In a draft this deep, there's no way that Stilson ends up as a first-round pick and now it seems unlikely that anyone will take a chance on him in the first three rounds.

- Other notable draft prospects who will not be taking part in the 2011 NCAA Tournament include: Mikie Mahtook (LSU failed to break the 64-team field), Tyler Anderson (Oregon missed out), Kolten Wong (Hawaii missed out), Alex Meyer (Kentucky missed out), C.J. Cron (Utah missed out) and Alex Dickerson (Indiana missed out).

- As mentioned in last week's draft update, teams are going to have players or managers who were important to their organization's history announce first-round picks. For the Dodgers, that honor was supposed to fall to Tommy Lasorda. Unfortunately, the Dodger great was hospitalized with an infection for four days last week. According to CBS Sports, he is now at home, but no statement has been issued regarding his status for next week's podium announcement.

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Sunday Closing Time Live Chat: Memorial Day weekend edition

Looking to spend your time doing something truly American this Memorial Day weekend? How about spending an hour (or the first three innings of the CIN-ATL Sunday night game, whichever comes last) talking about America's pastime with the Yahoo! fantasy folks. We can play Believe it or Not for Atlanta starter, and MLB ERA leader, Jair Jurrjens. Or we can simply just marvel at the wonder of both Scott Rolen and Chipper Jones being healthy at the same time and place. It's your call, the floor is open.

So come join us for an abbreviated, lightning-round edition of our Sunday night live chat, starting at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

O'er the land of the free and the home of the Brave(s)!

Play Ball!

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Is Maria Sharapova the new French Open favorite?

In a tournament this wide open and unpredictable, being named the new favorite is probably the last thing Maria Sharapova wants. After all, she was on the brink of disaster on Thursday, down a set and two breaks to a 17-year-old wild card before rattling off 11 straight games to advance to the third round. Her serve, though improved, is still a mess. Now she's favored to win four more matches and take home the lone Grand Slam that's eluded her during her career?

That's what the oddsmakers say. With losses to Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur, they've installed Sharapova as the co-favorite, along with Victoria Azarenka, to hoist the trophy next Saturday.

If it sounds like wishful thinking, perhaps it is. Sharapova's status as favorite has every bit as much to do with her star power than it does her game. She's playing her best tennis in years, but there's been a slight overvaluation of her recent clay court exploits considering that her biggest wins in Rome, a tournament she won, were over the aforementioned Wozniacki and Stosur. In Madrid, Sharapova struggled to beat Arantxa Rus and Ekaterina Makarova. She only beat Victoria Azarenka in Rome after Azarenka retired from the match. This is the new favorite?

Why not? The main question regarding Sharapova's Grand Slam chances were whether she could keep her serve from going off the rails in seven straight matches. And, if she couldn't, would she survive it? Against Caroline Garcia, the answer was yes. Maybe she got it out of her system. Maybe the comeback, in addition to the win in Rome, gave Sharapova the subtle confidence boost she needed to have confidence while standing on the baseline. Possible upcoming opponents like Agnieszka Radwanska, Yanina Wickmayer or Maria Kirilenko won't be as forgiving as Garcia, but they have flaws too. So do Azarenka, Francesca Schiavone, Vera Zvonareva and Petra Kvitova, for that matter.

The tournament is up for grabs. It's Maria Sharapova's for the taking.

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Sepp Blatter snaps at the press about respect

As soon as Sepp Blatter asked "what is a crisis?" and immediately followed that up by stating that "football is not in a crisis" (whatever that is), it was made explicitly clear that logic and coherence had no part of his press conference on Monday. This is nothing new for a FIFA press conference, but what was new was how it ended -- with attacking journalists unnerving the man at the top of an organization with absolute power.

Though he, of course, dismissed questions about how Qatar allegedly "bought" the 2022 World Cup and how reports of corruption keep popping up from both outside and inside FIFA, Blatter couldn't keep the frustrated press at bay. When they demanded answers and refused to settle for his non-answers, Blatter told them that they were "not in a bazaar." And concluded with a lecture on respect and elegance. It was very different from Blatter's normally calm and supremely confident approach.

Anyway, according to the Press Associations' Martyn Zeigler this is a picture of the bribe money Mohamed Bin Hammam gave to Caribbean FA officials while he was seeking votes for his presidential campaign...

Blatter might have to build a wall out of that stuff between him and the media the next time he tries to have a press conference.

Video via 101gg

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Redknapp has weird way of calling ‘skinny runt’ Messi the best

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp will never be confused with Mark Twain, but that didn't stop The Sun from giving him a regular column and for that, we should be thankful. The latest example of his hilarious brand of nonsense comes in the form of a timely and ridiculous comparison between Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney.

This is what old Harry has to say about Messi:

A mate of mine said to me the other day, after watching Messi destroy a team on his own, that the Argentine looks like the sort of bloke you'd find sitting in a bookies in the afternoon, smoking a fag and betting on horses.

He's a skinny runt who looks nothing like a modern-day footballer really.

He has funny little legs that move awkwardly when he runs and if he turned up at your club as a 16-year-old, you'd send him away with a pat on the head and tell him he'd no chance of making it.

Don't get him wrong, though. Even though he describes Lionel as some sort of goofy gnome who looks like he spends his days smoking cigarettes and betting on horse races, he still thinks he's "undoubtedly" the best player in the world (with Ronaldo second and Rooney "definitely in the top 10"). However, I don't think you'll ever find a stranger preamble to that point. Well, until Harry writes another column about Messi.

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AFC Wimbledon chief earns �1 a year, gets them to Football League

Like a lovable Frankenstein's monster, AFC Wimbledon have made it into the Football League less than a decade after being pieced together by abandoned yet ardent supporters of the club that was stolen away from them.

The Guardian explains:

The enchanting rise of AFC Wimbledon goes on. The club formed by supporters after the original crazy gang was stolen away from them nine years ago and relocated to Milton Keynes are into the Football League after beating Luton 4-3 on penalties in the Blue Square Premier play-off final at Eastlands.

It is now five promotions in eight years for the club but none will feel as sweet as this. The club started life in the Combined Counties League in 2002 and now find themselves just one more promotion away from playing in the same division as the likes of Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday and, oh so interestingly, MK Dons. What an encounter that would be.

It might sound hokey and cliche to call it a fairytale, but it kind of is. This is a team that was originally scrambled together with an open tryout in the summer of 2002 and they have a chairman who earns just one "guinea" a year ("it sounded posher than a pound," he says). And now they've rocketed through the bottom five tiers of English football to earn professional status in League Two.

I mean, there has to be a movie about this already in production, right? One that climaxes with a victory in a grudge match against MK Dons next season after a surprise halftime team talk from the old 1988 FA Cup winning Crazy Gang's Vinnie Jones. This is happening, isn't it?

Photo: Getty Images

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Video: Monfils huffs, puffs and blows ball over net in Ferrer victory

A fortunate bounce over the net helped Gael Monfils earned a crucial break of David Ferrer in their fourth-round match at the French Open. Up 2-1 in the decisive set of their match, which started Sunday and had to be pushed back because of darkness, Monfils earned a break point when his backhand tapped the net cord and fell on Ferrer's side of the court.

Replays and pictures showed that the ball may have had a push from a secondary source:

Every little bit counts, right?

Ferrer would break back at 3-5 in the fifth set to force an extended fifth set, before Monfils broke in the 14th game to win 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, 1-6, 8-6. The Frenchman will play Roger Federer in Tuesday's quarterfinal. This will be the third French Open matchup between the players in the last four years.

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Inter won two trophies for one tournament

Inter beat Palermo 3-1 in the Coppa Italia final and they got a special two for one deal for their troubles. In addition to the usual TIM Cup, the winning side also received a special trophy commemorating the 150th anniversary of Italy's unification.

The weird part? With Javier Zanetti busy with the main trophy, Marco Materazzi got to hoist the anniversary cup. Even though Materazzi didn't play in the match, only made one Coppa Italia appearance this season and 10 appearances for Inter in total. But he is the senior Italian player/mascot in the squad.

After winning the treble last season and losing to their city rivals in Serie A this season, this must soften the blow a bit. And Jose Mourinho will probably take the credit. Both for the trophy and the unification of Italy.

Photo: Getty Images

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Blatter not ruling out 2022 World Cup revote

FIFA president Sepp Blatter is having a hard time brushing away allegations that Qatar bribed two FIFA voters with $1.5 million each to back its successful bid for the 2022 World Cup that arose from evidence given to a Parliamentary hearing by the Sunday Times. The allegations sparked calls for a revote on the 2022 World Cup hosting duties that Qatar initially won by a considerable margin. At first, those calls seemed futile, but according to Blatter, it might not be an impossibility after all.

From our friends at Eurosport:

[Blatter] said: "This is an idea circulating already around the world which is alarming. But don't ask me now yes or no, let us go step by step. It's like we are in an ordinary court and in an ordinary court we cannot ask: 'if, if, if'."

Blatter, speaking in an interview at FIFA headquarters, added: "We are anxiously awaiting for these evidences or non-evidences in order that we can take the adequate steps.

"We will organise and the newspaper have agreed that we will bring this whistleblower here to Zurich and then we will have an investigation of this."

Yes, bring the whistleblower to the headquarters of the people he's whistleblowing against. There's no way that could possibly go wrong or end with him in a secret dungeon.

That aside, it's kind of amazing that Blatter isn't completely shutting down talk of a revote before it gets louder. Is it diplomatic lip service because he's days away from a re-election vote or is he genuinely considering a fresh vote if these allegations prove too strong to ignore? It's hard to say. But, again, the fact that he'd even humor the idea of a do over is notable in itself.

Photo: Reuters

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Clijsters’ 65 unforced errors lead to biggest upset of French Open

If the French Open women's draw wasn't wide open before, it is now.

Kim Clijsters, winner of the last two Grand Slams, was bounced from the tournament Thursday by 20-year-old Aranxta Rus of The Netherlands, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1. The Dutch youngster entered the year's second Grand Slam ranked No. 114 in the world.

Clijsters blew two match points in the second set and then unraveled in the third, suffering a 6-1 drubbing that was reminsicent of her 6-0, 6-1 loss to Nadia Petrova at last year's Australian Open. After holding that match point at 5-2, Clijsters went on to lose 11 of the next 12 games, including at 5-4 when she failed to capitalize on another match point.

She hit 65 unforced errors and 10 double faults in the loss. By the end, she was spraying shots all over the court. When Clijsters was packing her bag to walk off the court, there was a hint of tears in her eyes.

Following the match, no less an authority than Martina Navratilova called it one of the biggest upsets she could remember at the French Open.

The four-time Grand Slam champion hadn't played a match since Miami in March. She suffered an ankle injury the next month while dancing at her nephew's wedding and was forced to miss the entire clay court season. On Thursday, it appeared that he may have come back too soon.

She insisted the ankle was ready. "Physically everything was fine," she told reporters after the match. Later, she admitted that there were doubts about whether she should have returned.

"It's better to try than not to try," she said. "I definitely don't regret it."

With Clijsters gone from the bottom quarter of the draw, Maria Sharapova becomes the new favorite to make the semifinals. There's still a fair amount of competition in the bracket, including from Agnieszka Radwanska, Maria Kirilenko, Yanina Wickmayer and Andrea Petkovic, but if Sharapova's serve is clicking, Clijsters' loss could be Maria's gain.

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Video of Tyson talking about Sheen’s drug tests and bizarre behavior

Mike Tyson is watching Charlie Sheen's roller coaster ride from afar, but he feels like he can relate to what the wayward actor is going through.

Joining the fellas at ESPN1100 in Las Vegas this week (video - NSFW), Tyson was asked about Sheen, his drug tests and recent behavior (2:03 mark).

"I don't know what's happening to Charlie.� If he's passing the tests everyone's giving him. He is acting a little bit strange, I like to be on the show too, but I believe that's my dark side thing.� We're going to get it together Charlie. I don't know where he's at. But this is where I've been, I don't know if he's there ? I've been a damn fool, I've been on drugs and embarrassed myself and other people too of course, and I thought I was awesome," Tyson said. "That's where I've been, so I don't know. I've been in places where I wish I could move under a rock and not look at myself no more. So I don't know, but Charlie doesn't seem to feel that way yet."

Sheen says he's clean and passed all his drug tests.��

Again, I don't know what Charlie's going to do. If he says he passed the tests, I'm great at tricking those tests when I was on drugs. I don't know if Charlie's doing that, but this is something I'm great at ? lying to myself," Tyson said. "But if he says he's passed the tests then I believe him 100 percent. But then we're dealing with a personality problem. I don't know. I just wish him the best of luck with everything."

Tyson hit rock bottom so many times, he lost count. Even early in his boxing career when his was on top of his game, Tyson's behavior away from the ring was risky. Entering the biggest fight of his life, his first title shot at 20 years old against Trevor Berbick, he was distracted (3:33 mark).

"Of course, I had VD. Of course I was embarrassed to tell anybody you know?� Well, I told my trainer Kevin Rooney, but I didn't understand, I'm just a 20-year-old sap. I'm thinking this is postponement because I'm sleeping with some tramp. I've got to tell you a story about that stuff, this is so crazy. So we went to the fight, I won and I was so excited to get out of there because I'm dripping with sweat like a [inaudible] in July," Tyson on that 1986 fight. "So I can't wait to get out of the ring. So that was over. But I had to persevere because this was my life, this championship was what I dreamt of all my life and I wasn't going to be denied."

Tyson says he was still a mess as recent as 2008, when he was using drugs heavily. He's shocked that he found a woman, who'd marry him in that state.

"When my wife married me, I was OD'ing every day. I was a mess. I didn't deserve a prostitute with full-blown AIDS. I could have gotten one, but I didn't deserve her. She was slummin' if she was with me at that stage," Tyson said of his current wife Lakiha . "We're putting it together. We're putting our foundation together one brick at a time, and it seems to be going well. We had to get reacquainted. We're started to get reacquainted now that we're married."

Tyson was in the ESPN1100 studios for an hour along with fellow boxer Zab Judah. The conversation was fascinating. Kudos to the interviewers @paulyhoward and @seatwilliams. Williams pushed the sports' angles well� and Howard was fearless in getting Tyson to open up like they were chums hanging at a bar.

Thanks to SportsRadioInterviews.com for transcribing the interview.

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Didier Drogba stole David Luiz’s comedy act

Poor Gigi Salmon. She's just been trying to do her job reporting for Chelsea TV and in doing so, she's inadvertently provided a platform for the club's players to act like little kids who have spotted a local news camera.

First, it was David Luiz, who has quickly established himself as the club's resident silent comedian. Now, Didier Drogba rips off his act by offering a goofy imitation of Gigi behind her back. His performance, however, features cameos from Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda, Paulo Ferreira, and, of course, the master himself -- David Luiz, who takes things to a new level by imitating the imitator.

If this continues, Chelsea TV could become an endless loop of club employees mocking the mannerisms of each other.

Anyway, Petr Cech proved to be the very deserving winner of the Chelsea Player of the Year award, while Ashley Cole earned the Players' Player of the Year award. And, like in the film business, comedy went unrecognized in the night's accolades.

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Scotland played Wales in a big empty stadium

Well this is just sad. Scotland played Wales in a Nations Cup match on Wednesday at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and it looks like about 18 people showed up. Scotland won 3-1, but when you have so few people in a 51,700-seat stadium, it's kind of amazing they even bothered to finish the match.

Was this match supposed to be a surprise? Did they go with the Eric Cartman "you can't come" marketing technique? I know a midweek game between Wales and Scotland as part of a relatively new tournament isn't the biggest draw in the world, but come on -- you'd think they would be able to fill at least one full section of seats.

Here's the most depressing picture of a goal celebration you'll see today...

Wales' Robert Earnshaw goes to the trouble of doing his trademark acrobatics for a ball boy and a guy who isn't even watching as he claps. Wales then gave up three goals in the second half to lose the game.

Photos: Getty

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Fergie tries (and fails) to ban reporter for mentioning Ryan Giggs

Attempts to lord his control over the media are nothing new for Sir Alex Ferguson (just ask the BBC). So it should come as no surprise that he tried to exert more influence than he actually has by ordering AP sports writer Rob Harris be banned from future press conferences for asking a relatively harmless question about scandal-plagued Ryan Giggs.

From the AP:

At Tuesday's news conference with Ferguson, Harris asked about the importance of 37-year-old Giggs to Manchester United. "The most experienced Champions League player in the team is obviously Ryan Giggs. How important is he for the team on Saturday?" Harris said.

"All of the players are important, every one of them," Ferguson replied curtly.

Broadcaster Sky News later broadcast Ferguson's whispered comments to a club media officer.

He was heard saying, "the guy that asked the question about Giggsy … at the press conference."

She replies: "Which one?"

Ferguson responds: "Him that asked the question … who?"

The press officer replied: "Oh yeah, I'll tell you later."

Minutes later, Ferguson is heard to ask: "Is he coming on Friday?"

The press officer asks: "The guy with the laptop?"

Ferguson replies: "Aye. Then we'll get him. Ban him on Friday."

It was unclear which event on Friday Ferguson was referring to, although he is due to hold a news conference on the eve of Saturday's game.

Eat that Rob Harris! That's what you get for asking a tactful question about a touchy subject, also known as doing your job. You just got Fergie'd! Or not.

From the BBC:

Both Ferguson and Barcelona counterpart Pep Guardiola are required by Uefa regulations to give pre-final media conferences on Friday.

But the United spokesman pointed out that as Friday's event is organised by Uefa, the Old Trafford club has no jurisdiction to ban Harris.

"I don't think we can [ban him], but check it out with Uefa," said the United spokesman. "The answer is probably no."

Well, as Mussolini once said, "Eh, it was worth a try."

Photo: Getty

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Pittsburgh Steelers: The 4 Biggest Concerns Heading into the 2011 Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers always seem to be at the center of the AFC playoff race, but that doesn't mean that they don't have concerns as they head toward the 2011 NFL season.

Every team, especially in a year in which the work stoppage and lockout has prohibited free agency and team-sponsored workout and practice sessions, has serious concerns heading into the year.

Here are the top four concerns for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they prepare for what everyone hopes will be a full 2011 season.

Begin Slideshow

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Support pours in for legendary Argonauts' coach Cahill

One of the remarkable things about the world of Canadian football is just how small a community it is. Operating with mostly the same teams for over 50 years, everyone either knows almost everyone else directly or knows someone else who knows them. The latest example of that is the incredible outpouring of support for former Toronto Argonauts' coach Leo Cahill in just a couple of days after The Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons wrote a column about his health struggles. As Simmons describes, an incredible amount of people have written in from all over North America with words of support for Cahill and fond memories of his tenure with the Argonauts, demonstrating both the importance of the CFL's history and the close-knit community it still has today. There were memorable responses from other CFL legends like Don Matthews and Dave Ridgway, but it may be those from average fans that sum up Cahill's importance best:

But mostly, the responses came from almost every province, from names you wouldn't know, from an older demographic, some from the United States, from those who used to live here and have since moved away, all of them touched in one way or another by the former coach. It's amazing what people remember. They remember what seats they sat in at Exhibition Stadium. My dad and I were in Section J, Row 49. I got notes yesterday from those who sat in L and F and H. We were on the covered side of the stadium. We were the ones laughing whenever it rained.

And so many wrote in about father and son memories and the bond that any sporting situation can bring. If Leo Cahill did anything important in his time with the Argos - and he did lots - then the relationships formed between fathers and daughters and sons has to be near the top of any list.

"Thank you Mr. Cahill for being such an important part of a father and son bonding experience," a fan named Larry Henderson wrote. "My son and I now attend games ... and my son is always reminded of the glory days at CNE Stadium, which was always packed with fans and usually cheering for Leo and the Double Blue. Long live Leo. My dad always said you were the toughest of the Argos."

Cahill's toughness has never been in question, but he is facing significant odds. As Simmons described in his first piece, the 83-year-old Cahill's health challenges are getting worse and worse. Like many of his old teams, though, Cahill is refusing to go down without a fight:

"It's a miracle I'm alive," he answered, as I asked how he was doing. Cahill, the former Argo coach, general manager and Canadian Football League rogue, is 83 years old and struggling. "The doctors didn't think I would live through this," he said. "You know I'm a tough son of a bitch. But what the hell, you've got to fight, right? I'm not going to lie to you, though. It's been a tough go."

Cahill went in for heart surgery in London about a month ago and four hours into what should have been a four-hour operation, the surgeon came out to talk to his son, Terry. The doctor had bad news. Cahill's aorta had ripped during surgery. They were going to try and replace it. They weren't sure if it was going to work or if the patient was going to survive. The surgery ended more than four hours later.

"It was touch and go for a while," said Cahill, who lives in Sarnia, and was operated on at University Hospital in London. "But I'm home now, I'm up and walking around a little. I'm still pretty tired every day. They say it's going to be a slow process. That's what everybody says. I'm a little bit slow in my thinking and a little bit tired in my walking, but what the hell, I just keep plugging away at it."

That kind of incredible effort and determination despite continual setbacks personified Cahill's coaching career. He got his start with the Montreal Alouettes in 1960, working under Perry King, and stayed there until 1964 thanks to the appointment of new coach Jim Trimble. Montreal's loss was Toronto's gain, as Cahill moved west and took over the semipro Toronto Rifles of the Continental Football League. He built them into a powerhouse, then took over the Argonauts just before the 1967 season and immediately made them a force to be reckoned with. The team only went 5-8-1 that year, but they made the playoffs for the first time in six years before losing to Ottawa. They got even better the following year, going 9-5 and making it all the way to the East Final before again falling to the Rough Riders. It's 1969 that provided one of the most notable moments of Cahill's tenure, though; the team went 10-4 in the regular season and advanced to the East Final to again face Russ Jackson's Roughriders. They were favoured to win this time, and took the first leg of the two-game series 22-14 in Toronto. As described in Stephen Drake's excellent book Weird Facts About Canadian Football, that prompted Cahill to be his usual quotable self, with memorable results:

Two days after the first victory over Ottawa, at a luncheon in Toronto, Cahill confidently stated, "It will take an act of God to beat us," and then followed up with another bold statement that the Argos were "physically better than any team in Canada." The press played up the coach's quotes, setting the stage for a grudge-filled match the following week in Ottawa.

The night before Saturday's game, heavy rain combined with a sudden cold snap turned Ottawa's Lansdowne Park into a skating rink. The Ottawa trainers outfitted the Rough Rider players with broomball shoes, while the Argos flopped around in conventional cleats. Led by the brilliant quarterbacking of Russ Jackson, Ottawa totally dominated in a 32-3 romp, winning the two-game series 46-25.

The Riders, their fans and the press weren't shy in throwing Cahill's divinely inspired words back at him. Some said Jackson (pictured above getting a pass away against Toronto's Mike Blum in that game) didn't need a ride to Landsdowne Park that afternoon; he just walked across the ice floes of the Rideau Canal to get to the game. Others said that even if the Twelve Apostles had suited up for the Argos, the outcome would have been the same.

That wasn't the only time Cahill's Argos seemed to have divine providence conspiring against them. They were a memorable bunch in 1970 from a couple of perspectives; they had one of the most talented teams in Canada and were also one of the only teams with plenty of long hair, making them the Canadian sports world's equivalent of rock stars. They turned in a strong regular-season performance, but crashed out of the playoffs in the East semi-final against Montreal. 1971 looked even better, particularly with the addition of standout Notre Dame quarterback Joe Theismann, and the Argos rolled all the way to the Grey Cup at Vancouver's Empire Stadium, where they took on the underdog Calgary Stampeders in a torrential downpour.

Toronto's offence struggled at first, and they trailed 14-3 at the half, but they stormed back. A "Tricky" Dick Thornton interception put the Boatmen on the Stampeders' 11 late in the game, down by only three points. Cahill opted to play it safe with two straight handoffs to running back Leon McQuay before a potential game-tying field goal attempt. The first one picked up four yards, but McQuay slipped on the second run and fumbled the ball; Calgary recovered and hung on to win. It was all downhill from there for Cahill and the Argonauts, as he feuded with owner John Bassett and general manager John Barrow. His team suffered plenty of crucial injuries and breakdowns and finished 1972 with a 3-11 record, leading to Cahill's dismissal soon afterwards. It says a lot about him and the luck he had that there was plenty of outrage at the time over his firing despite the team's record.

Cahill (pictured at right during his coaching days in an undated photo from the Argonauts' website) went on to a couple of memorable stints in the World League of American Football, and returned to the Argonauts twice more in 1976 and 1986. Things still didn't go his way, though; he helped turn the team around at the start both times, but they again lost a crucial game to Ottawa on a bad fumble in the 1977 East Final and collapsed spectacularly in 1978. His 1980s stint got them back to the Grey Cup in 1987, but they wound up losing 38-36 to the Eskimos on a late field goal. Cahill's 1988 Argonauts were even better, putting up a 14-4 record, but they were upset by Winnipeg in the East final and he was fired soon afterwards, once again brought down by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

Sometimes it's too easy to conflate success with winning. Cahill is not currently in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and those looking for a reason to keep him out would probably point to his lack of a Grey Cup ring. It's worth noting that games can turn on the smallest of circumstances, though, as Cahill found out all too well. Especially in the playoffs, when you're matching the best teams against each other, a win isn't necessarily indicative of superiority, but merely how the dice fell on a given day. Cahill built some incredible teams, was a key part of the Argonauts' rise from laughingstocks to national superstars (several times over!), and never gave up fighting despite cruel twists of fate that might have convinced many to pick a different profession.

This is a man who never quit, even when it would have been easy to. You can make a strong case for him as one of the most legendary builders in Canadian football, and hopefully he'll get Hall of Fame consideration in the coming years. Even if he never gets in to the official Hall, though, the incredible outpouring of support for Cahill demonstrates just how important he's been to the game and how fondly he's remembered by many. He might not be in the Hall of Fame in Hamilton yet, but he's already firmly ensconced in the legendary collection of figures kept in many CFL fans' hearts. For a coach who was always a man of the people, that's an awfully notable honour too.

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