If you've been busy talking over and over about how great of a start to the season Chris Shelton is having then you've probably missed some things.  The biggest thing being that Travis Hafner of the Cleveland Indians hit his 7th homerun after the Tribe's 11th game of the season.  Not too shabby,  Shelton is a nice story, but when he fades we will all be talking about one of the best "young" talent in the game, Travis Hafner.

Quote of the Week:

During a Rockies/D-Backs telecast D-Backs broadcaster and former MLB pitcher Greg Swindell, proclaimed his feelings for loudmouth sports writer Steven A Smith.  "Steven A. Smith is a tool" he pronounced loudly over the air (apparently they had a spat over the jinxing of a Pedro no-hitter last year, guess Swindell asked him about it during the game and of course that ended the no-hitter).  When asked to expand on his feelings for Mr. Smith by his broadcast partner, Swindell merely replied "He's a tool"

     Brett Farve, will he retire, won't he retire, it just seems to drag on and on.  But is Farve's indecision really going to hurt the Packers?  Things might actually play out for the Pack.  Given the recent goings on in Tennessee, Farve could retire and still not leave the team in the lurch going into the season.  Should the Titans cut McNair it would then open up the possiblility of the Packers going after him, obviously not as a long term replacement, but as one to keep the fans happy and have someone who could help in the development of either Rodgers or a QB that they could draft this season. 

     Maybe there is no pressure on Farve from the Packers organization because they still don't feel like they missed out on the free agents as they could possibly still have a shot at a veteran like McNair if things go awry in Tennessee.  Just a possiblity.  Any thoughts?

Go ahead, name the last three starting catchers for the Phillies.  Mike Lieberthal, Darren Daulton.....Lance Parrish?  For those who have followed the Phillies one thing has been pretty consistent over the past 15 years, who is playing behind the plate.  It is a struggle to even remember who held that spot before Dutch took over (I think it would be an aged Lance Parrish who was in the spot before Daulton).  Some things in the Phillies camp seem to change often, the catcher position has not been one of them.

     As opening day rolls around once again it will be Mike Lieberthal behind the plate.  Lieberthal has become a real Phillies icon, always one of the most popular Phillies.  Unfortunately after his second best statistical year in 2003, he has been in a steady decline and last year posted his worst numbers since his first full season behind the plate in 1997. Now entering his 12th year with the club what can we expect for Lieberthal?

     Unfortunately he is no longer able to put up the kind of offensive numbers he has in the past and his power numbers continue to slide.  Which is not a good sign since CBP is one of the premier hitters parks in the league.  Lieberthal's numbers could continue to drop this year and the reconfiguration of the outfield walls could only make it worse.  Defensively he is one of the most solid catchers around.  He has posted a .993 fielding percentage the past two seasons and his assist numbers have been constant over the past 3 seasons (44,43,44).  Age may contribute to a small drop-off in his fielding but don't expect it to be too significant.

     Here's the dilema with Lieberthal, when is club loyalty no longer something to be admired?  Lieberthal has been a solid contributor in his time in Philadelphia, that much is certain.  But, his age is catching up with him and soon it will be time to hand the reigns over to the next Phillies backstop (heir aparent is currently Carlos Ruiz).  I applaud the Phillies and Mike Lieberthal for their loyalty, it is very rare these days.  But, proffesional baseball is a buisness and the teams are in the buisness of winning. 

     Word is that one of the reason Lieberthal is still in town and starting is he is an exceptional guy in the clubhouse.  Very well liked and respected.  The off-season signing of Sal Fasano seems to have blocked Ruiz from getting the big league experience he will need in the very near future.  He is the future and soon the Phillies will need to replace Lieberthal.  So Phillie phans enjoy watching Lieberthal this season, it may be the last we get to do so as the regular starter. 

Skip Bayless - Although the normal garbage that spews out of his mouth on a daily basis is enough to win him a Bonehead Life-time achievement award, he will just have to settle for this weeks award for now.  During this mornings Cold Pizza show, Skip went on a rant about 'roids.  In this rant, he proclaimed that the 'roids are an epidemic at all levels of baseball and that the reason Little Leaguers were hitting 300 ft. homeruns was because they are juicing!  Seriously, he really said that and meant it to.  Congrats Skip you are the Bonehead of the week.

If the Dallas Cowboys are America's Team then who is Mexico's team?  Actually that would also be the Dallas Cowboys.

Can you still be America's Team if you're also Mexico's team?

Do the New York Yankees know about this?

If the Cowboys are America's Team why do we bother having any other teams?  I know the Yankees feel that way.

Throughout my years of watching ESPN I've come to realize that they think the Packers are the greatest team in history and that the 49ers are also great, but destin for second billing.  The Beatles are considered the greatest band of all time, the Rolling Stones always seem to get second billing.  So does this make the Packers the Beatles of the NFL and the 49ers the Rolling Stones?

Was the orginal "Home Plate" an actual plate someone used from their home?

If you get hit with a baseball shouldn't you automatically be out?  For some reason if I just got hit with a baseball I wouldn't feel too safe at first.

If you throw a football forward behind the line of scrimmage it is called a pass.  If you throw a football forward beyond the line of scrimmage it's called a forward lateral.  Shouldn't it just be an illegal pass, or legal forward lateral?

How come tackles are always the ones blocking?

If a Wide Reciever drops the ball shouldn't he be called a blocker?  If so, why isn't Todd Pinkston considered the greatest blocker of all-time.

The Super Bowl got it's name from someone in the NFL who was watching his kid play with a Super Ball.  Shouldn't league officials be able to afford better toys for their kids?

If a baseball player hits a hard grounder through the infield on Astro turf can the annoucers still call it a Worm Burner?

How come no sports of American origin have goalies? 

Do males who want to play High School field hockey have to wear skirts?

How in the world does anyone play sports in a skirt?

What exactly does Utah Jazz sound like?

Does anyone in Montreal know the Expo's left town?

If a tree fell in the stands during a Cardinals game would it make a sound?

Why is it that at one point there were 4 out of 5 Canadian NHL teams named after the residents of Canada (Canadians, Canucks, Nordiques and Maple Leafs (bit of a stretch, but heard used as a slang term) but not one team named after Americans?

If the New York Knicks were named today would they be called the New York Pants?