Yankees, Tatupu, Gretzky etc and the Top 25.

Both Woj's recent Yankees columns are worth checking out. This one on Giambi-Tino and this one Randy Johnson.

Bill Plaschke looks at the full-circle relationship of Mosi and Lofa Tatupu.

Dave Barry done? Seems like burnout may have caught up with the Miami humorist. He's not going out at his peak, but he's leaving before all the zip is gone on his fastball.

The Philly Mag writes an interesting piece on the controversial and popular (contropoular?) Stephen A. Smith. I've thought a lot about Stephen A. Smith, relatively speaking. For me to say I like him would be stretching it a bit. But he can clearly report and clearly has good sources. I respect him and I listen to him, except on Dream Job, which is horrible anyway. My understanding is that he attracts readers (different in several demographics, not simply race) to the Philly sports page that weren't reading it before, which makes him valuable.


Norman Chad isn't as funny as he used to be.


Gretzky says lockout could last two seasons. Is there a more pretentious nickname than "The Great One"?


DMN's Gerry Fraley on the baseball hall of fame ballot. His opinion gets no credibility here at all. Mattingly?!? That's ridiculous.

Steve Rushin's annual year in bizarre sports is pretty funny.


My Top 25 for this week.
I had Gonzaga ticketed for the top five after they beat Oklahoma State, but then they went and lost to a very mediocre Missouri team.
In hindsight I should have debuted West Virginia higher and above GW.

Pitt messed me up a bit. I never even considered they could lose to Bucknell and therefore didn't check in on the score until the last minute.

Bouncing NC State paused me briefly because Hodge is out, but still, St. John's?
Anyway, here it is.

1. Illinois
2. Kansas
3. Duke
4. North Carolina
5. Wake Forest
6. Oklahoma State
7. Syracuse
8. Kentucky
9. Gonzaga
10. Connecticut
11. Georgia Tech
12. Iowa
13. Mississippi State
14. Pitt
15. Alabama
16. GW
17. Washington
18. Arizona
19. Michigan State
20. Texas
21. Louisville
22. West Virginia
23. Boston College 10
24. Cincy
25. Maryland