The NHL’s season-opening series in London proved to be quite a success, and more trips to Europe are expected. The Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings split a pair of games at the O2 Arena over the weekend in the first regular-season NHL games to be played in Europe. “The fans were cheering.
Braylon Edwards couldn’t contain his excitement. This was a Sunday to let loose. As energized Browns fans broke into Ohio State’s signature “O-H-I-O” sing-a-long, raising their arms overhead to form each letter in the fourth quarter, Edwards, a Michigan man through and through, joined in. “I was definitely doing it,” Edwards admitted.
The record is his, for now, and Brett Favre can return his focus on two other numbers: 4-0. To hear him tell it over and over, this is all he has ever worried about: helping Green Bay win. Favre became the NFL’s all-time leader in career touchdown passes with a couple of vintage third-down zingers Sunday, and the Packers stayed unbeaten with a 23-16 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Marvin Lewis respects their methods. Willie Anderson admires their consistency. Carson Palmer likes their quarterback. Sounds like the Cincinnati Bengals have an unabashed case of Patriots envy. Maybe it’s because the two franchises are such opposites. The Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years. The Bengals have had one winning season in the last 16 years.
Kyle Busch, whose strong performances early in the Chase for the Nextel Cup put him among the serious title contenders, crashed early in Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway after Dale Earnhardt Jr. hit him from behind.
Cleveland guard Eric Snow will have surgery on his left knee and will likely miss the entire preseason after getting hurt last week while working out at the Cavaliers’ new training facility. The 12-year veteran tore cartilage in his knee and will have an operation Tuesday at the Cleveland Clinic. The 34-year-old will be sidelined four to six weeks and could miss the start of the regular season.
Ray Allen grew up eating fish and chips in England and enjoying Oktoberfest in Germany. No wonder he thinks European expansion would be a good idea for the NBA. “The league is making so much money, you’ve got to think how it’s going to grow to the next level,” Allen said Monday as the Celtics held the second day of training camp in Italy.
The Detroit Pistons exercised their option to extend forward Jason Maxiell’s contract through the 2008-09 season on Monday, and signed guard Gerald Fitch. Maxiell, who was drafted with the 26th pick overall in 2005, is expected to play a key role in Detroit this season. He played a career-high 67 games last season, averaging five points, nearly three rebounds and almost a block in 14 minutes a…
Tony La Russa has managed for 29 seasons, long enough that he trails only Connie Mack and John McGraw on the career victory list. Over all that time, this year might have been his low point. It’s been a walk on hot coals since, well, before spring training. Whether it’s enough heartache and adversity to convince La Russa to walk away after 12 years and seven postseason appearances, the St.
