ja Page 672 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Remembering what Jackie Robinson meant, and who he was
As we prepare for Jackie Robinson Day in baseball on Sunday — the Cardinals, among other teams, are considering having every player wear No. 42, which gives us the unique opportunity of seeing David Eckstein and Brad Thompson pay tribute to Jackie — we thought we would provide our own tribute to a g...

Blue Jays Not Afraid To Have Fun With Banned Cartoonish Violence
Well, maybe Canadians are too iffy about the violent striking of children to let the now infamous Frank Thomas pillow commercial hit the air, but that doesn't mean the Blue Jays can't still have some fun with it....

I Can Go With Both Hands, Myself
I'm sorry, Nate Funk, but you are no longer my favorite Creighton athlete. That honor now belongs to Pat Venditte, a pitcher on the Creighton baseball team that can pitch with either hand. From the New York Times:...

Cultural Oddsmaker: Who's the Next Minor League Mascot to Get All Dirty?
AJ Daulerio's Cultural Oddsmaker runs every Friday. Email him to let him know what you think....

It's Possible Garret Anderson Might Be Missing The Point A Bit
Several prominent black baseball players — not that many to choose from anymore — have taken the opportunity to honor Jackie Robinson by wearing No. 42 on April 15, the 60th anniversary of Jackie's first day in the bigs. (It was initially Ken Griffey Jr.'s idea, though, sadly, coming up with it caus...

If Frank Thomas Can't Hit A Child, What Good Is He?
As anyone who understands comedy can tell you, the sight of a small child in pain is the zenith of modern mirth. Which is why it's such a shame that this Blue Jays commercial with Frank Thomas has been banned by Canadian television....

NBA Roundup: The Kid's In The Hall
Phil Jackson, the greatest basketball coach that the state of North Dakota has ever produced, was on Monday sent straight to the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of consideration. We assume that it wasn't for his tenure coaching the Albany Patroons. Jackson of course won six titles with the...

Your AL East "Preview"
All right, whether you're ready for it or not, baseball is starting Sunday night. (The Mets will watch the Cardinals raise their World Series title flag. The Cardinals won the World Series last year.) The full slate of games kick off Monday, so we figured it was time to start previewing some divisio...

Your Long National Nightmare Is Over
Over the weekend, Pro Football Talk reported that everybody's favorite mathematician Joe Theismann was likely out as Monday Night Football "analyst," with his likely replacement being the infinitely superior Ron Jaworski. Today, The New York Times gets in on the act, confirming it with ESPN sources....

But Who Will Exchange Witty Banter With Jim Belushi?
You may have seen the last of Joe "Norman Einstein" Theismann in the Monday Night Football booth. Pro Football Talk is reporting that Theismann is out, and will be replaced by the great Ron Jaworski....

The Kansas/UCLA Open Thread
Kansas vs. UCLA will be tipping any time now. Hopefully, that one will make this one look like the JV game. There's no shortage of history and tradition there, of course, as will be mentioned during the obligatory shot of Bill Walton in the stands with his tiny Asian wife....

Sweet 16 Pants Party: North Carolina Vs. USC
North Carolina Tar Heels (30-6) vs. Southern California Trojans (25-11) When: 9:57 p.m. ET Where: East Rutherford, N.J....

Sweet 16 Pants Party: Kansas Vs. Southern Illinois
Kansas Jayhawks (32-4) vs. Southern Illinois Salukis (29-6) When: 7:10 p.m. ET Where: San Jose...

We Think Ninjas Would Make Great Closers, Actually
You might think of Ryan Dempster as the red-bearded "closer" for the Chicago Cubs ... but he knows himself as something so much more. Ryan Dempster ... ninja!...

We Wouldn't Expect Him To Spend Much More Time In Jacksonville
A few months ago, Jaguars offensive lineman Khalif Barnes was arrested and charged with a DUI. Turns out, the video of his arrested has hit the Internets, and it's safe to say he doesn't exactly feel all that comfortable in Jacksonville....

OJ Mayo, Signing Off In Style
So on Saturday night, incoming star freshman O.J. Mayo, who was no longer in trouble over that marijuana business, played his final game as a high school player. How's it go? Well, he earned a technical foul and was thrown out of the game....

Baseball Season Preview: Toronto Blue Jays
You might remember, from back at the beginning of the NFL season, when we previewed each team by having a writer we liked write about their favorite team....

NCAA Pants Party: Florida Vs. Jackson State
Florida Gators (29-5) vs. Jackson State Tigers (21-13) When: Friday Where: New Orleans...

NCAA Pants Party: USC Vs. Arkansas
USC Trojans (23-11) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (21-13) When: Friday, 9:40 p.m. Where: Spokane...

NCAA Pants Party: Kansas Vs. Niagara
Kansas Jayhawks (30-4) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (23-11) When: Friday, 7: 10 p.m. Where: Chicago...