McSteroids

Alright, it's not exactly news, but the Daily News has an exclusive that Mark McGwire was juiced.

What's interesting is the Reggie Jackson connection to everything.

Curtis Wenzlaff, one of the two dealers caught in Operation Equine, is allegedly a longtime friend of Reggie Jackson.

"Yes, they had spent some time together," says Jackson, who met Wenzlaff after his career ended with the Oakland A's in 1987.

The Daily News reports that "Jackson, who let Wenzlaff stay in his Oakland home for long stretches in the late 1980s, says he was not aware that Wenzlaff had allegedly supplied steroids to Canseco or anyone else until last year when Wenzlaff testified before a Senate subcommittee investigating steroid use in pro, college and high school sports.

After Reggie and Wenzlaff began working out together Jackson offered Wenzlaff a job up in the Bay Area as a sort of public liaison. Wenzlaff not only accepted the job, he moved into Jackson's house on and off for several years. California property records confirm they lived on Yankee Hill in Oakland.

It was Jackson who introduced Wenzlaff to the A's, bringing him around during trips to the Oakland Coliseum. Wenzlaff says he visited the clubhouse on several occasions, but said any steroid use took place away from the stadium, in private gyms."

It's no indictment against Reggie but how odd that he is the one to have introduced Wenzlaff to the A's who later appeared to be the epicentre of the steroids explosion.

*****Bracketball*****

Oh sweet christ, here it comes, March Madness and just ahead of it is today's Selection Sunday.

As I know virtually nothing about this past season, having seen zero college hoops games this season, I'm looking particularly forward to filling out this season's brackets.

For once, there won't be endless hours reviewing pros and cons. I haven't been force-fed speculation for the last two weeks. I'm free. I haven't a clue. I can pick my favourites with a clear conscience. I might even fill out my bracket using some arcane formula, like number of victories by a team divided by the total number of letters for each roster member of that team, including the coach.

Or perhaps I will vote for teams based upon their mascots or cheerleaders.

How about number of points scored during the season by one team times the number of appearances they've made on national television?

You could divide the number of letters in a school's name by the number of letters in their nickname.

The possibilities are unlimited.

Ah, the hell with it. I'll make sure to put The Orangemen in my final so I have someone I like to root for. Nothing's worse than having to root for a team you dislike just because you've got them winning their bracket.

*****FA Cup Is Down To Six*****

It's no final four but the FA Cup reached it's quarter pinnacle this weekend. Suprising virtually no one, Manchester United dumped Southampton 4-0 and Arsenal advanced by beating Bolton 1-0 to advance to the semis. I hate it when Wenger is happy. I much prefer seeing his rodent-like face squelched in disappointment, like earlier this week when they were knocked out of the Champions League, flopping miserably.

And today, the suddenly-mighty Geordies will take on Tottenham. It's been 50 years since Newcastle won the FA Cup and as it had been 50 years since Chelsea claimed their first premiership trophy and Newcastle, it was fitting that Newcastle knocked them out of the FA Cup to get where they are today.

Blackburn face Leicester in the other quarterfinal today.

*****Non-Steroid Baseball*****

Ah yes, far beyond the realm of firing up the steroid grill in Congress, there is still baseball itself to look forward to.

Tom Singer's Overview of the NL East unveils few surprises.

This should be the tightest race, or the divisional race that involves the most teams anyway. Ok, the Nats are a stretch, but how many other divisions can boast four teams with the potential of the Braves, Marlins, Phillies and Mets?

Yeah, the Yankees-Red Sox will still be the biggest story for awhile but isn't rather given that both teams will make it to the postseason and the race for the division title, considering the last three World Champs have been wildcards, is somewhat unimportant in the scheme of things?

Now look ahead to September/October: The Braves play the Marlins six times in their last nine games of the season. In fact, 16 of their final 19 games will be played against either the Marlins, Phillies or Mets.

The Mets, on the other hand, will play six of their final 10 games against the likes of the Nats and the Colorado Rockies. The Phillies, six of of the last nine against the Nats and Reds.

With the Marlins and Braves knocking each other off, if either the Mets or Phillies are close, one of them could use the weak scheduling at season's end to pull forward.