Ole!
(Super Duper Bank Holiday Weekend Edition)



It might not be considered sport but certainly is more physically taxing than other so-called sports like golf and bowling.

A Pamplona-style running of the bulls in a Spanish town outside the capital Sunday left 63 people injured, two of them seriously, officials said.

The pair were taken from the town of San Sebastian de los Reyes to hospitals in Madrid to undergo urgent surgery, said Angel Pesquera, spokesman for the town's emergency unit. The others were treated for cuts and bruises, he said.

During the crowded run, people were momentarily trapped in a pileup at the bullring's entrance where the run ends. Some of the bulls then trampled over the mound of people to get into the ring, causing the large number of injuries.


Let's Run For Our Lives!

*****

Baseball Races

Yanks Lead AL Wildcard Chase

Jason Giambi broke out of a 4-for-38 slump with a pair of home runs and drove in seven runs Sunday, leading the New York Yankees to a 10-3 victory over the AAA-like KC Royals.


Just Say No

Giambi belted a three-run home run in the third inning yesterday, giving him 1,000 runs batted in for his career. In the fifth inning, he crushed a two-run homer, his 1,500th career hit.

The Yankees (73-56) improved to a season-high 17 games above .500. They moved into the wild-card lead, by a half-game over Los Angeles, when the Angels fell behind Oakland in the American League West yesterday. The Yankees still trail the Red Sox by a game and a half in the East after Boston beat the Detroit Tigers, 11-3.

After a four game series at Seattle, the Yankees will travel to Oakland for three and then play nemesis' Tampa Bay and Boston over the next nine games thereafter so the Yankees run won't be easy.

***

Meanwhile, in Boston, Jesus was sliding into catches:



David Wells pitched seven innings, saving Sox fans from their miserable bullpen for most of the day. In the 14 games that preceded this one, Matt Clement was the only Boston starter to go seven innings in a game, doing so twice. Wells might begin his six game suspension this week after he hears about his appeal on today.

Mike Remlinger was given his walking papers and the Red Sox called up lefty Abe Alvarez from Triple-A Pawtucket. Remlinger had a 14.85 ERA and no record in eight relief appearances since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs for minor league pitcher Olivo Astacio.

Looking ahead, closer Keith Foulke made his second rehab appearance at Class A Lowell on Sunday night, allowing one run in his only inning of work.

A's

In 2001, Jermaine Dye joined the A's in midseason and his superb play was a major factor in the team making the playoffs. Of course, back then, the A's offence was already pretty good and Dye just added to the mix.

This season, Jay Payton came over from Boston at the break and has been the entire A's offence many days - he is 11 for his past 26 and his 11 homers since the All-Star break are fourth most in the league.

But the starting pitching of course, has kept the A's in all those games to begin with. Of their five starters, Haren, Zito, Blanton, Harden and Saarloos, over the last 30 days, have started 26 games, are 13-6 and have allowed only 48 runs over 174 1/3 innings, a collective 2.48 ERA.

Their bullpen is none too shabby either: closer Huston Street has is 8 for 8 in save opportunities over the last 30 days with an 0.73 ERA.

Kind of hard to lose games when you're getting pitching like that and for all those who happily chirped about the end of the Billyball Era, might have to rethink their premature eulogies. The A's are not going down easy and the worst of the rebuilding appears over already.

***

Meanwhile the Several City Angels were unceremoniously tossed from the lead of the AL West when they were swept by the league's most notorious giant killers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

They went 9-4 against the Yankees, Rangers, Indians and Angels, all but the Rangers, significant playoff contenders.

Since the All-Star break, Tampa Bay is 26-15, tied with the Cardinals for second-best in the majors. Since the break, the Rays are 16-6 at Tropicana Field. Since the break, they have gone from 11th in team batting average in the majors to third (.277 after Saturday's 14-hit attack).

***

Indians

The Indians have won nine of 11 and are a major league best 19-7 since July 31. Jake Westbrook finally reached .500 after pitching the Indians to a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays, and his performance gave the Tribe a series win in its three games at the Rogers Centre.

They remain a game behind the Yankees for the AL Wildcard.

Here's a quick look at some of the teams on the three wild card contenders' schedules:

Indians
5 vs. Tampa Bay
7 vs. Kansas City
6 vs. Twins
6 vs. White Sox
3 vs. Oakland

Yankees
6 vs. Tampa Bay
8 vs. Orioles
4 vs. Mariners
3 vs. Royals
3 vs. Athletics
3 vs. Red Sox

Oakland
3 vs. Yankees
3 vs. Red Sox
7 vs. Angels

Angels
7 vs. A's
6 vs. Mariners
3 vs. Red Sox
3 vs. White Sox
***


After breaking the MLB record for hits last season, Ichiro entered last night's contest hitting .299 — the first time since July 1 that his average had sunk below .300.

***

NL


Marlins Go Boom (Derrek Lee is congratulated with coach Chris Speier on one of his two homers as Cubs rout Marlins, 14-3).

Are we to take them seriously? What do you think of when you perform a google search using key words: Brad Penny, batboy and milk? Something eerily creepy? Kinky? Just a little fun?

Penny offered the batboy $500 if he could drink a gallon of milk in less than an hour before Sunday's game without throwing up. Penny told the paper the boy drank the milk and didn't throw up, but didn't finish the gallon in the allotted time frame to win the dare.

The batboy was suspended for six games. (for violation of the MLB anti-milk policy?)

The Fort Myers Miracle invited the bat boy to come across Alligator Alley and serve as honorary bat boy for Monday’s game against the Tampa Yankees.

"Similar to a rehab stint, we want to help this kid stay on top of his game," Miracle GM Steve Gliner said. "Instead of crying over spilt milk, we decided to offer him the honorary post."

***

No Comment:



***

In 26 starts, Roger Clemens leads baseball in earned-run average (1.56) and opponents' average (.187). His road ERA, in 12 starts, is 0.56. His overall ERA has been less than 2.00 every month and the eight earned runs he has allowed in August are the most in any month. Considering the Astros have been shut out in seven of his starts, his record, 11-6, is astounding.

Then again, the Angry Astros were shut out Sunday yet again in a Clemens start:



Clemens allowed only two weak singles in six scoreless innings but was denied a victory when the Los Angeles Dodgers scored once in the eighth inning to beat the Astros 1-0 on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

The shutout was the Astros' league-leading 16th of the season and second on their six-game West Coast road trip that ended 2-4. The Astros have been shut out in three of Clemens' past four starts and eight times this season, including five by a 1-0 score.

***

Meanwhile, the Stinkin' Braves won again, defeating the Brewers by a 5-2 margin behind Tim Hudson's seven hitter and Andruw Jones' 41st and 42nd homers.

(Interesting aside to Braves rookie Jeff FrancoeurThere is one striking similarity in Braves history to the astonishing surge of Jeff Francoeur. In 1957, the Milwaukee Braves called up a South Carolina farmhand named Bob Hazle when Bill Bruton broke a leg, and Hazle broke in such blazing style he was nicknamed “Hurricane.” (There had been an Atlantic storm that year named “Hurricane Hazel.”) Down the stretch to the pennant, Hazle hit .403, seven home runs, drove in 27 runs in 41 games and was a sensation. That was it. The following season he was soon gone, traded to Detroit and out of the big leagues. He settled in Newberry, became a liquor salesman and died in 1992 at age 61.

***

The Mets lost another to the Giants, their second consecutive loss after five consecutive road wins. Full report over at Archie Bunker's Army.

***

Reds are out this year but can hope for the future: Adam Dunn, Felipe Lopez, Austin Kearns, Wily Mo Peña and Edwin Encarnacion are all 25 or younger. Four of those five start every day for the Reds. They also have three pitchers under 25 on the roster. Matt Belisle, Todd Coffey and Ryan Wagner all have had runs of success.

The Reds' starting pitchers were 12-4 with a 2.86 ERA in their last 19 starts entering Saturday night.

If they can unload Junior Griffey before Tuesday's deadline, they might get to add a few more young hopefuls.

Griffey's stock keeps going up - he went into Saturday's game hitting .451 with seven home runs and 11 RBI in his last 12 games. After sitting in either fifth or sixth place in the National League Central for 115 consecutive days, they have moved themselves into a tie for fourth with the Cubs this weekend and their four straight wins and six wins in seven games has placed them just six games below the .500 mark.

***

Here's a funny thought: someone thinks the Giants should trade Barry Bonds.

Who would want those damaged goods? The Yankees? The Mets? The Red Sox?

No, no and no.

The Giants are stuck with the steroid-stigmata for at least another season.

***

Salaries:

Who says money doesn't buy victories? The top six highest paying teams are all in the running for the playoffs although the Giants, Cubs and Mariners all overpaid terribly, have thrown in the hat already. The Stinkin' Braves, ranked 10th, are using minor league payrolls to fund their playoff run.

Team Payroll Average
1. New York Yankees $205,938,439 $7,920,709
2. Boston 121,311,945 4,332,569
3. New York Mets 104,770,139 3,880,376
4. Philadelphia 95,337,908 3,666,843
5. ANGELS 95,017,822 3,276,477
6. St. Louis 93,319,842 3,589,225
7. San Francisco 89,487,426 3,441,824
8. Chicago Cubs 87,210,933 3,114,676
9. Seattle 85,883,333 2,683,854
10. Atlanta 85,148,582 3,405,943
11. DODGERS 81,029,500 2,700,983
12. Houston 76,779,022 2,953,039
13. Chicago White Sox 75,228,000 2,786,222
14. Baltimore 74,570,539 2,663,234
15. Detroit 68,998,183 2,464,221
16. Arizona 63,015,834 2,333,920
17. San Diego 62,888,192 2,246,007
18. Florida 60,375,961 2,236,147
19. Cincinnati 59,658,275 1,988,609
20. Minnesota 56,615,000 2,096,852
21. Oakland 55,869,262 2,148,818
22. Texas 55,307,258 1,843,575
23. Washington 48,581,500 1,619,383
24. Colorado 47,789,000 1,647,897
25. Toronto 45,366,500 1,744,865
26. Cleveland 41,830,400 1,442,428
27. Milwaukee 40,234,833 1,609,393
28. Pittsburgh 38,133,000 1,361,893
29. Kansas City 36,881,000 1,365,963
30. Tampa Bay 29,893,567 1,067,627


*****

American Football

This weekend marked the return of Reefer Ricky Williams to the Dolphins running game.


Reefer Ricky Scores A TD

In the end, the Dolphins had a 17-14 victory against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dolphins Stadium, Miami's first victory under Nick Saban, who lost his first three preseason games. They took the opening drive and went 80 yards, scoring on a 4-yard run by Ricky Williams.

Williams was instrumental in the drive, carrying five times for 31 yards. Miami's maligned offensive line even opened up big holes, and the Dolphins finished with 110 yards rushing on 26 attempts for an average of 4.2 yards a carry.

Greg Cote, Miami Herald: "You wouldn't know it by the 0-3 exhibition record, but the Dolphins have a league-high 23 assistant coaches. It breaks down to six offense, six defense, three special teams, and eight designated scapegoats."

***

Not even his daring name could keep him on the roster: Linebacker Hannibal Navies was one of 11 players released by the Packers and he doesn't look happy.



Perhaps some sour grapes for the Packers, who were humiliated by the defending champion New England Patriots, 27-3.

Quarterback Brett Favre had a bad night after playing well in the first two exhibition games. He threw two interceptions and had a third called back because of a New England penalty elsewhere on the play.

***


Kurt Warner looks to be in mid-season stumbling and fumbling form in a preseason game against the Raiders this weekend. Cardinals won the game anyway, 17-16 for the Raiders' third straight loss of preseason and their first-team defense had three sacks, three fumbles and two points.

Meanwhile, any surprise that Randy Moss smokes pot? Just the "every blue moon" bit, that is. Quite an offence the All-Reefer Team would have with Randy Moss and Ricky Williams headlining.


"I have used, you know, marijuana ... since I've been in the league," Moss said in an interview for HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" scheduled to air Tuesday night. "But as far as abusing it and, you know, letting it take control over me, I don't do that, no." No, not that.

Just keep him away from the Doritos.

***



Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens already weren't speaking to each other. No surprise they aren't exchanging congratulations, either.

The feuding stars hooked up for a 64-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the Philadelphia Eagles' exhibition win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday night.

Playing together for the first time since their public spat began in April, McNabb and Owens picked up where they left off last year. In just one half, Owens caught five passes for 131 yards, and McNabb threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns.

***

The Denver Broncos, stung in consecutive postseason matches by the Indy Colts and Peyton Manning, beat their nemesis' in a preseason warm-up 37-24.



***

College Football

USC running backs Reggie Bush and LenDale White, both draft-eligible juniors, will carry the ball and a combined $5 million of insurance coverage as the top-ranked Trojans pursue a third consecutive national title. Quarterback Matt Leinart is insured, but his father, Bob, has declined to comment on the amount of the coverage or the structure of the policy.

*****

Chelsea Return To The Top of the Tables

Keeping with the tradition that has not seen them win at home against Chelsea, Tottenham in 12 years, the Spurs were put down yet again at home, 2-0 and lost their position at the top of the tables.

Of course, they were down a man for most of the match and played valiently but to no avail.


Mido sent off for an errant elbow and gave Chelsea a man advantage for most of the match.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho:
"It was a very important victory and a solid performance. People may say it is easier against 10 men than against 11 men but the game was difficult. They were better than us for a period and put pressure on us, but we were still comfortable. We scored one goal on the counter-attack and could have scored two more through Hernan Crespo."

Highlight match for Sunday - Newcastle hosting Manchester United after Newcastle have signed Deportivo La Coruna striker Albert Luque for £9.5m after he passed a medical on Friday, finally getting a sorely-needed man up front to pair with Shearer.

Lowlight: Newcastle losing predictably against Man U and also losing Kieron Dyer.

*****

Ashes

England held for a day but Australia are 222-4, still 37 runs in arrears with Sunday's test match still to play.

England are favourites to wrap up the match and take a 2-1 lead in the series.

There is still the danger, though, that Australia could rustle up enough runs from their lower order to set England a small, but highly pressurised target in their second innings.


Strauss taking a stunning catch as Andrew Flintoff again accounts for the Aussie wicket-keeper

Final Notes

The Superdome will not hold New Orleans Saints practices and will instead house 100,000 refugees:



Good Luck To New Orleans, laissez les bon temps roulez!