Sammy slams 600

It's not every day a major league ball player hits a milestone home run, it only seems like it. Last night's milestone happened to be one that's truly deserving of being one though, depending on how you feel about Sammy Sosa that is.

Slammin' Sammy, the former Cub who captured our hearts as he duelled with Mark McGwire a few years back over the single-season home run record, hit the 600th home run of his famed career. This number puts him in the elite ranks of boppers along with only four other men; Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and everybody's favourite player, Barry Bonds.

So with entry into the 600-club, does this ensure Sammy a place in the hall-of-fame when he wraps up his career? By all means it should, but you would’ve thought the same about Mark McGwire, wouldn’t have you. The difference is that Sammy hit this rarefied-air plateau that should grant him automatic inclusion, even if he was part of the “juiced era”. Time will tell and I’m sure there will be some debate among purists some years down the line when Sosa is up for induction. There’s already debates about 300-win pitchers and 500-home run players being hall-worthy, is an allegedly steroid-abuser and 600 HR hitter shielded from these criticisms on his way to Cooperstown? In these eyes, there shouldn’t be a doubt that Sosa should be enshrined his first time around.

KG vs. Kobe

With rumours abound of the Celtics giving away their future for Kevin Garnett, the question can now be asked which player is hotter on the buzz index? Kevin Garnett or Kobe Bryant? With the apparent offer on the table of Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and the number five pick in next week's draft for the disgruntled Timberwolves star on the table, is it worthy ofthe amount of buzz Mamba and Lakers are generating?

Probably not; if there's one thing that Kobe is great at, it's creating spectacle, which is precisely what he's doing.

Back to KG; how does this deal help the Celtics? They give up their entire future for a chance to finish second in the hotlantic and get bounced in the first round of the playoffs? It's ill-conceived to give up both Big Al and the number 5 in the deal (especially in a draft with the kind of talent that's coming out). Why would they want to give up their two keys to the future and the two things that will help their team get through this woeful stretch (not named Paul Pierce).

While the T-Wolves would be giving up their best player and franchise face, the compensation for the future would almost be too much to pass up. They would make out like bandits in this deal, as long as they could bury Telfair somewhere far away.

With Kobe, he's now been caught on video bashing the Lakers, GM Mitch Kupchak and teammate Andrew Bynum. Mamba is doing everything in his power to be traded from the struggling Lakers but who knows if it's helping. He's arguably the best player in the game but the baggage that comes with him isastounding. While he's said he would only go to the Suns, Knicks or Bulls, only Chicago seems like a viable option. The Suns play in the Lakers’ division and New York just doesn't have enough to give to get Bryant, even if they decided to include fat Eddy Curry (who's supposed out of all discussions). Chicago would most likely have to throw their first-round pick L.A.'s way in the deal so it should be assumed that a deal would have to beput together before next week's draft.

The summer of possibilities is just starting and, quite frankly, it should be exciting.

NFL 2K8? Not really, but close

It looks like that pesky thing called an NFL licensing agreement isn't going to stop the 2K sports franchise from putting out a football game this year. Despite the fact that Electronic Arts hold and exlcusive deal with the NFL for their Madden series, 2K is taking their product in a different direction by using NFL legends on fake teams for their games. So, if you ever wanted to have John Elway and Jerry Rice on the same team, this may be the game for you.

The truly interesting part of this game is the stadium designs which look incredible. Playing inside a dome that looks like a beehive or having a huge Phoenix-like creature over head may be distracting for fans in real life but, in this virtual world, themes like those turn out stunningly.

It's still not going to be the NFL football that Madden 08 will give you, but at least there's an alternative now for football gamers. And if you think some gamer with far too much free time on his hands won't create a roster update to feature today's players, you're a bit slow

Tiger doesn't win

For the fourth U.S. Open in a row, some on from south of the equator took home the top prize; this year, it was Angel Cabrera of Argentina. Cabrera captured the title by firing off a fourth-round 69, which was good enough to hold off Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk by a stroke. Woods had an opportunity to send the final into a playoff on the 18th hole but was unable to sink his putt.

This tournament was exactly how a major should be held. Play it on an extremely tough course (Cabrera finished five over par) and have Tiger near, or at the top so people are talking about your sports' most recognizable figure. It's just a shame the Phil Mickelson had to chump out and complain about how he didn't want break his wrist in the tough rough at Oakmont.