Category: Sports

Canada wins fifth consecutive gold
OTTAWA – Canada’s junior hockey team is back on top of the world, and this gold medal might be the sweetest one yet.
Record-setting crowds packed arenas in the nation’s capital to watch the Canadian team roll through the world junior championship with an unbeaten record, collecting a fifth-straight gold medal with a 5-1 victory over Sweden on Monday night.
It was the second straight tournament victory for four players on the Canadian team, but it left them with a feeling unlike any other.
The victory tied the country’s record of five consecutive titles in this tournament set between 1993 and 1997. Canada’s 15th gold at the world juniors also tied Russia/Soviet Union for the all-time lead.
The Canadian players jumped all over the ice in celebration after the horn sounded on their latest victory.
“It feels unbelieveable,” said defenceman P.K. Subban. “The first thing I want to do is thank God. I mean we’ve been blessed since Day 1.
“We started our trek in Petawawa. We were a bunch of individuals, we came to Ottawa as one team with one mission.”
Canada goes for a record six in a row at the 2010 world junior tournament in Saskatoon and Regina.
Cody Hodgson of the Brampton Battalion scored twice while Subban of the Belleville Bulls, Montreal Junior forward Angelo Esposito and Jordan Eberle of the Regina Pats added singles for the hosts.
Tavares had two assists and finished tied with Hodgson for the tournament lead with 16 points. The 18-year-old from Oakville, Ont., was named the tournament’s most valuable player and top forward. He remains a strong candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2009 NHL draft.
Dustin Tokarski of the Spokane Chiefs made 39 saves for the victory.
“I can’t say enough about all the guys, all 22 guys, the coaching staff,” said Tavares. “There’s nothing better than this.”
Joakim Andersson scored for the Swedes and goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 26 shots.
The 20,380 at Scotiabank Place set a new single-game attendance record at the world junior tournament. It was the fourth time a new mark was established in Ottawa and erased the previous high of 20,223 that was set during Canada’s preliminary-round game against the U.S.
The audience included Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.
“Throughout the tournament, Canadian players not only produced world-class hockey on the ice, they also represented our country with tremendous dignity and pride off the ice,” Harper said in a statement. “I want to commend all of the players, coaches, volunteers, families and staff who contributed to this successful tournament.
“This is a well-deserved victory.”
Canada led 2-0 after two periods, but history has shown that to be an uncomfortable margin. The Canadians had the same lead going into the third period of last year’s final in Pardubice, Czech Republic, but the Swedes scored twice to force overtime.
The hosts started the third with a man advantage because of Mikael Backlund’s interference penalty to end the second.
Canada’s power-play was running hot at 51 per cent heading into the final and Hodgson scored his team’s second of the game 33 seconds into the final period. The Vancouver Canucks prospect wired a shot that beat Markstrom low stick side.
The Swedes cut into their deficit with Andersson wheeling the puck out front and getting a deflection over Tokarski’s shoulder at 8:30.
Eberle and Hodgson added empty-net goals to secure the victory.
Markstrom had an eventful evening as he was involved in two helmet-removing collisions – one of his own making – and was tripped outside his crease in the first 40 minutes.
In what was already a testy game with punches and face washes after the whistle, a second-period incident turned the heat up even more.
After Canada’s Patrice Cormier knocked Carl Gustaffson into the boards and shoved him again, Markstrom came out of his crease and checked Stefan Della Rovere during the same play. Markstrom was penalized for roughing and Della Rovere and Cormier for interference.
Angelo Esposito and Markstrom collided in a footrace for the puck in Sweden’s zone early in the second period with Markstrom getting the worst of it.
Defenceman Victor Hedman took exception to that, grabbing Esposito’s head and punching the Montreal Junior forward, which made Heman public enemy No. 1 at Scotiabank Place. The rival of Tavares for first overall pick in the draft was soundly booed any time he touched the puck after that.
Esposito responded to getting punched in the head by scoring his country’s second goal of the game. The Atlanta Thrashers prospect stepped out from behind the goal-line and backhanded the puck upper far corner at 4:06.
Tokarski preserved Canada’s slim 1-0 lead 90 seconds into the second period by stopping a streaking Magnus Svensson Paajarvi.
The Canadians dominated the opening six minutes, outshooting Sweden 10-5, and taking a 1-0 in the first minute on Subban’s power-play goal.
Sweden took control of the game in the final minutes of the period and trailed Canada 13-12 in shots heading into the second.
Backlund, a first-round draft pick of the Calgary Flames, shoved his glove in Tavares’s face after a whistle just 22 seconds into the game, and his roughing penalty put Canada a man up.
Subban and Hodgson dug away at the puck during a goal-mouth scramble and Subban shoveled it past Markstrom’s stick for his team’s 20th power-play goal of the tournament.
In an entertaining first-period moment, Tavares and Backlund took a turn stealing the puck from each other.
Germany and Kazakhstan were relegated to the world ‘B’ championship for finishing ninth and 10th. Switzerland and Austria will join Canada, Sweden, Russia, Slovakia, the U.S., Czech Republic, Finland and Latvia in Saskatchewan.
According to organizers, 453,282 tickets were sold, which is a tournament attendance record that wiped out the previous high of 325,138 set in Vancouver three years ago.
“Just look at the support we got, playing in Canada,” said Tavares. “They want nothing but the best but they (put) the support behind us.”
Because of the sheer size of Scotiabank Place it wasn’t a difficult ticket to get and there were still some available for Canada’s semifinal and the final late last week. Scalpers were asking $350 for upper-level seats prior to the final.
The attendance record was easily attainable of Scotiabank’s capacity and the Civic Centre, the site of Pool B games, also holds 10,000. Most European arenas hold 16,000 to 18,000.

Futile first: Lions 0-16 after 31-21 loss to Pack
GREEN BAY, Wis. ñ Nobody will remember the Detroit Lions came close to winning their last game. All anyone will know ó now and forever ó is 0-16. The worst record in NFL history, a dubious distinction that will permanently stain everyone involved.
The Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-21 on Sunday, making them the first team to go winless through a 16-game season. The 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14) were the last NFL team to complete a season without a victory.
“I’ve got to live with this,” center Dominic Raiola said. “I’ve been here eight years. This is on my resume.”
It’s also on the resume of Lions coach Rod Marinelli, who faces an uncertain future.
“No competitor wants to go through something like this,” Marinelli said. “This is not fun to go through, obviously. But there’s people going through a lot worse than this.”
Asked what the next step might be if he does keep his job, Marinelli said, “Let me get through step one first.”
The Lions’ last loss didn’t come without a fight. After falling behind 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter, Kevin Smith’s 9-yard touchdown run put Detroit back within a field goal.
But Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers responded with a 71-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver and the Lions’ Dan Orlovsky threw an interception on fourth-and-27 with 3 minutes left, dooming Detroit to futility of historic proportion.
“It’s just kind of numb,” veteran kicker Jason Hanson said. “It’s here. It’s been coming, though, a train rolling down the tracks for a while. We tried to stop it. We couldn’t.”
The Lions were building toward this for years and now have lost 23 of their last 24 games. The 0-16 record will be a lasting testimony to the Matt Millen era. With as president of the team from 2001 until he was fired on Sept. 24, Detroit won only 31 games ó none this year, of course.
It’s so bad that some Lions can’t remember the last time they won.
“I don’t ever want to be a part of this again,” Orlovsky said. “We haven’t won since, November of ’07, maybe? I don’t even know the last time we won a game.”
The Lions haven’t won since Dec. 23, 2007, actually, when they beat Kansas City. Green Bay is where this woeful streak began at the end of last season. Since then, the Lions have lost 17 straight and have been outscored 551-281.
Marinelli has gone 10-38 in three seasons. His future has not been announced, but team owner William Clay Ford has decided the leaders of the front office, Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand, will be back in some capacity.
“I am positive that every aspect of what we do as a football team has to be rethought and analyzed,” Hanson said.
Orlovsky was 22-of-42 for 225 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Lions, whose bid to steer clear of the record book came undone in large part because of ill-advised penalties.
Rodgers was 21-of-31 for 308 yards and three touchdowns for the Packers (6-10), and Ryan Grant and DeShawn Wynn rushed for 106 yards each.
After a disappointing season of their own, Rodgers said the Packers wanted a win to build momentum for next season. Left unsaid was that they didn’t want to be the only team to lose to the Lions this year.
“We didn’t want to lose, no, we didn’t,” Rodgers said. “But really it’s not on your mind once the game starts. I didn’t even think about it until the fans started chanting in the fourth quarter. They played hard, they really did.”
Packers coach Mike McCarthy didn’t want any part of the 0-16 discussion.
“I want to politely try to avoid the question here,” McCarthy said. “That’s tough. That’s a tough deal. But we were focused on winning the game.”
With the Lions trailing 14-7 early in the third quarter, safety Kalvin Pearson then put a hard hit on Grant to cause a fumble, and recovered the ball at the Packers 11.
Calvin Johnson caught a pass from Orlovsky and broke three tackling attempts to score a tying 14-yard touchdown with 10:20 left in the third quarter.
But the Packers drove for a 36-yard field goal by Mason Crosby early in the fourth quarter. After a three-and-out by Detroit’s offense, Lions linebacker Ernie Sims’ penalty for a late hit out of bounds on Grant played a key role on a drive that ended with a 5-yard pass from Rodgers to fullback John Kuhn.
The Lions weren’t finished, as Orlovsky used two long completions to John Standeford to set up Smith’s touchdown with 8:34 left. After the ensuing kickoff, Rodgers reared back and threw deep to Driver, who blew past Lions cornerback Leigh Bodden and ran in for a touchdown.
Orlovsky led the Lions back into Packers territory, but a taunting penalty on Smith moved the Lions back near midfield and Orlovsky threw an interception to Nick Collins.
“It was a very bad, selfish decision,” Smith said. “I let my emotions get the best of me. It was tough, but it is no excuse.”
Perhaps more than anything, the penalties got Raiola riled up.
“Stupid,” Raiola said. “You know, just uncalled for. You’re in a game like that, you can’t do that. Just dumb.”
And very much like the Lions.
Notes: Green Bay’s Donald Driver and Greg Jennings each had 100 yards receiving Sunday. Combined with Grant and Wynn’s 100-yard rushing days, it is the first time in league history a team has had a pair of 100-yard rushers and 100-yard receivers in a single game, according to Elias. … Packers rookie TE Jermichael Finley caught his first career touchdown pass in the first quarter.

Thanks for the memories, Wendel
Wendel Clark provided Maple Leafs fans with many reasons to cheer, but here is The Toronto Sun’s top-10 list:
– The wild applause at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre when Clark put on the Leafs jersey on draft day 1985. The Leafs had finished last overall the year before and there was an immediate sense that this Saskatchewan farm boy was something special.
“When he put the sweater on, a few thousand people suddenly sounded like 20,000,” assistant GM Gord Stellick said. “It told you a lot about Leaf fans, that they’d take to Wendel like that after the year we’d had.”
– Clark’s homespun take on a wild brawl with the Detroit Red Wings in his rookie year: “Just like a bar in Kelvington on a Saturday night.”
– His check that flattened Bruce Bell of the Quebec Nordiques.
– How he dealt with a persistent reporter who kept asking why he wouldn’t fight distant cousin Joey Kocur of the Wings. After the reporter’s 10th attempt, Clark brought the conversation to an abrupt end by saying “would you like me to fight you?”
– The famous video of him strolling in front of the Gardens with his mullet and rural wardrobe.
“He was part of this city, like Toronto’s son,” Tie Domi said. “You saw him grow up, you saw him go away (twice), but you always knew he would come back.”
– How you knew he was going to shoot, even on a 3-on-0.
– He took on all comers, from John Kordic to Slava Fetisov to Marty McSorley.
“He was 5-foot-10 but played like he was 6-foot-3,” Steve Thomas said. “It showed the heart he had.”
– The strong relationship with his parents, Les and Alma, who drove hours and hours to see him play in Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg and the Western U.S. Les had the greatest hockey influence, but Wendel never forgot his mother’s role.
“It’s because of my mother’s sacrifices that I’m in the NHL,” Clark once said.
When Wendel took a shine to playing the saxophone in high school, Alma agreed to pay for lessons, but only if he saw them through and didn’t cut hockey practice.
– The standing ovation he received for hitting the post in a 2000 playoff game against the Devils.
– His tearful 2000 retirement at the ACC: “This will bring closure,” Clark said in front of friends and family. “I started as a Leaf and now I can end as a Leaf. No matter where I’ve played, this always has been like home.”

Burnett opts out, becomes free agent
TORONTO — A.J. Burnett is going to be a free agent. On Tuesday, Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker, confirmed that the pitcher will opt out of his contract with the Blue Jays, walking away from the $24 million he was scheduled to make over the next two seasons.
Braunecker met with the Blue Jays on Tuesday at the General Managers Meetings in Dana Point, Calif., to inform the club of his client’s decision. Braunecker stressed that Burnett’s choice doesn’t mean that the right-hander doesn’t still have interest in re-signing with Toronto.
Burnett signed a five-year contract worth $55 million with the Blue Jays before the 2006 season. After a pair of injury-riddled campaigns, Burnett pieced together arguably the best showing of his career in ’08, posting a personal-best 18 wins with an American League-leading 231 strikeouts.
Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, who was not immediately available for comment, has indicated that the club would be willing to discuss a new multi-year contract for the pitcher. Braunecker chose not to comment when asked if Toronto had already fielded an offer to retain the pitcher.
Beyond the Blue Jays, the Yankees, Orioles and Red Sox have all been rumored to be interested in Burnett, who makes his offseason home outside of Baltimore. Burnett is arguably the top available arm behind free agent CC Sabathia and could be in the market for a four- or five-year deal worth between $15-18 million annually.

Blue Jays end season with big win
BALTIMORE — It’s not difficult to decipher what went wrong for the Blue Jays this season. In the early stages of the 2008 campaign, Toronto labored in the batter’s box, and that made for an intimidating game of catchup down the stretch.
On Sunday afternoon, the Blue Jays showed that they’ve made some positive strides in that department, enjoying a 10-1 romp over the Orioles in their season finale at Camden Yards. That early hole proved too deep, though, and Toronto is now peering toward 2009 rather than moving on to the postseason.
“Hopefully, next year, if we’re going back to Toronto [after the season finale], we’re going back for a playoff game,” said manager Cito Gaston, while his players packed their suitcases and prepared to welcome the coming winter.
The finale in Baltimore served as another reminder of the Blue Jays’ potential. There was stellar pitching — the one constant of Toronto’s season — in the form of a strong seven-inning performance from Jesse Litsch. There was also plenty of offense, led by a pair of home runs by Vernon Wells.
It was that combination that made for an easy victory. Throughout much of this season, the Blue Jays struggled to have both elements working in unison. Often, Toronto’s dominant pitching went wasted in light of low run support. And on the days the bats did show up, it wasn’t always enough.
It wasn’t until the Jays’ season was on life support in late August that the offense, pitching and defense all clicked, producing a 10-game winning streak, the longest such run for Toronto since 1999. That push temporarily put the Jays in the American League Wild Card discussion, but a fourth-place finish in the East was the end result.
“We just didn’t get on the same page early on,” first baseman Lyle Overbay said. “I think when we started winning all those games — 10 in a row — we did get on the same page. All three cylinders were clicking.”
The pitching staff rarely was the issue.
Toronto finished with an 86-76 record, marking only the third time in the past 10 years that the team achieved at least that many wins, and the club led baseball with a 3.49 staff ERA. That represented the second-lowest team ERA in franchise history and the group’s 1,184 strikeouts established a new club record.
Against the Orioles (68-93), Litsch yielded just one run over his seven innings, scattering three hits and ending with five strikeouts and one walk in the win. The victory gave the 23-year-old right-hander a 13-9 record this year and lowered his season ERA to 3.58. Litsch was one of three Jays starters to win at least 13 games this year.
“That’s definitely good going into next year,” Litsch said of Sunday’s win. “Not just for me, but for all of us.”
The offense will prove integral in 2009, considering the pitching staff includes more than its share of question marks heading into next year.
Toronto is at risk of losing starter A.J. Burnett to free agency, if he opts out of his contract, and the club will likely be without Shaun Marcum (right elbow) until 2010. Right-hander Dustin McGowan, who had season-ending surgery on his right shoulder in July, is expected to be out until at least May.
Needless to say, depending on what the Blue Jays do to acquire pitching help this winter, the offense may have to bail out its staff more often in ’09 than was required this year.
“I think our pitching has, obviously, led this team the last couple years,” Wells said. “Offensively, that’s where we need to turn things around and support those guys a little better.”
Wells did just that for Litsch, slamming two home runs to give the center fielder a team-high 20 on the season. The Blue Jays also received a solo shot from Overbay, giving Toronto 126 long balls this year. That total represents the lowest power output by the club since the Jays belted just 106 homers in 1982.
The 10 runs scored by the Blue Jays on Sunday gave the team 714 this season, marking the fewest in a campaign since Toronto plated 654 in 1997. The Jays also ended with a .264 team average, a .331 on-base percentage and a .399 slugging percentage — the last figure being the lowest by Toronto since ’97 as well.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom, though.
The offense did gather steam after Gaston replaced former manager John Gibbons on June 20. Toronto held a 35-39 record upon Gaston’s arrival and had hit just .231 with runners in scoring position with 49 homers in the first 74 games. With Gaston at the helm, the Jays went 51-37, launched 77 homers and hit .285 with runners in scoring position.
“Any time you make a change like that, something’s going to change,” said Wells. “You realize that you weren’t doing enough, and you consequently ended up getting a good man fired.
“A new philosophy came in. It was more, just go up there and get your pitch and get to swinging. Guys responded and, unfortunately, it took a firing to do that.”
The offense under Gaston produced the type of numbers Toronto hoped it’d put up when the season began.
“I think everybody knew that that was there, the offense,” third baseman Scott Rolen said. “There’s a lot of talented offensive players on the team, and everybody talked about, ‘It’s a matter of time.’
“I guess everybody was right, but maybe the timing was a little too late.”
That’s why Gaston and the players stressed that opening 2009 the way the club ended this season is important.
“I think we have to get off to a good start,” Gaston said. “Early in the year, the problem we had was no hitting. I think it’s getting better. We’d like to get it to a point where we’re more consistent with scoring runs. That’s what I think we really have to do.”
Next year’s Opening Day is more than six months away for the Blue Jays. That gives Toronto plenty of time to sort out what went awry in 2008 and to enjoy the few bright spots within this trying season.
That includes Sunday’s win.
“It was nice to finish up with a win today,” Gaston said. “The guys played hard, and they finished up good. I’m very proud of them.”

Halladay wins 20th in Jays home finale
TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays began Thursday night with an address from team president Paul Godfrey affirming the futures of GM J.P. Ricciardi and manager Cito Gaston, and capped it by celebrating ace Roy Halladay’s 20th win.
Thus ended the home portion of their disappointing 2008 season, an 8-2 victory over the New York Yankees allowing their franchise pitcher to post the seventh 20-win season in team history after bigger things had played out behind the scenes.
The Blue Jays (84-75) officially settled the key pillars of their management structure before hitting the road for three games in Baltimore to close out the campaign, with Godfrey confirming Ricciardi’s return after Gaston’s two-year contract extension was announced.
“To me, it says we’re going to continue to try and win and that’s important for me,” said Halladay. “I like what Cito has done in the time he’s been here. I think we’ve gone in some good directions and I’ve always trusted J.P. …
“I like that they’re coming back. I feel confident the organization will continue to go the right way.”
As for his own future, Godfrey refused to tip his hand, although all signs point to his departure. He said a decision would come “probably next week sometime” and if he does indeed step down, bringing Ricciardi and Gaston back and his talk with the team would be his final acts after eight years in his role.
“I thanked all the players,” Godfrey said, “basically told them that I’m sure they’re as disappointed as everyone else about not making the playoffs, but that we honestly believe that we have the nucleus of a great team here.
“And I said that those who can come back, should come back next year.”
He denied looking in the direction of A.J. Burnett, who can opt out of his contract after the World Series, when making that last comment. The expected departure of the enigmatic right-hander is one of the main issues the team faces this winter.
With Thursday’s victory Halladay (20-11) and Burnett (18-10) surpassed Jack Morris (21) and Juan Guzman (16) as the winningest duo in team history, a 1-2 punch they’d be hard-pressed to match without Burnett.
“He’s been huge for me,” said Halladay. “To have somebody that’s right there with you, I really felt like we kind of pushed each other at times.”
It will take big money to keep Burnett, and with about US$70 million already committed next season, the Blue Jays are only likely to have in the neighbourhood of $20-$25 million to spend barring a payroll hike.
Godfrey also recently submitted cost projections for 2009 with player salaries at the top of the list.
“I think it will be an appropriate payroll,” said Godfrey, “but I can’t say it will be significantly higher.”
A payroll around $95 million this season earned them a 47-34 home record and helped them draw a total of 2,399,786 fans, up for the sixth straight season. There was a crowd of 44,346 on hand to watch Halladay complete his second 20-win season.
The big right-hander, the club’s foundation, mowed through the Yankees (87-72), allowing just two runs on six hits and a walk in his career-high matching ninth complete game. He struck out five, giving him a career-high 206 for the season.
And in a rare gesture of emotion, he traded hugs with his teammates and tipped his cap to the crowd before heading into the clubhouse.
“I want everybody to know how much I appreciate them and how important they were in this,” said Halladay. “Really it was more that than being excited about the number, I just felt like there were a lot of guys who helped me do it.”
The Blue Jays are expected to start talks on a contract extension with Halladay, who is signed through 2010, in the off-season and he’s open to it.
“As long as we continue to make that effort to be that post-season team,” he said, “then you can sign me up.”
Win No. 20 was a highlight for fans in an event-filled season in which the Blue Jays locked up young cornerstones Alex Rios and Aaron Hill shortly before the home opener, cut ties with DH Frank Thomas two weeks later, fired manager John Gibbons on June 20, brought back Gaston to replace him, won 10 straight games in late August in early September in a too-little, too-late run at the post-season, and ultimately settled for what is likely to be fourth in the AL East.
The Blue Jays were 35-39 when Gibbons was fired following a three-game sweep in Milwaukee and have been 49-36 since.
“We felt very strongly that what we saw during the Milwaukee series was a problem symptomatic of the leadership and coaching of the club that if left, would lead to a very unsatisfactory conclusion this year,” said Godfrey.
Not that the inevitable conclusion looming this weekend is particularly palatable either, but it’s better than the fiasco they were headed for. More offensive nights like this one early in the season would have made the difference.
“It was a good night,” said Gaston.
Vernon Wells erased an early 1-0 deficit with a two-run shot off Carl Pavano (4-2) in the third and after Joe Inglett’s RBI single, added a two-run single in the fourth.
“The thing with (Halladay), if you can give him a few, he doesn’t need too many,” said Wells.
Travis Snider, the top prospect who’s made quite a September impression, and Gregg Zaun, in his final days with the team, ripped RBI doubles in the fifth and Marco Scutaro’s RBI single in the seventh made it 8-2.
The Yankees scratched out a run on Robinson Cano’s RBI single in the third and picked up another when Cody Ransom scored on Francisco Cervelli’s double play ball in the fifth.
Notes: A day after serenading Burnett with a standing ovation and chanting his name to prompt a curtain call, a sign in the outfield read “A.J. Stay.” … Snider batted eighth for the second straight game. … Wells’ first two RBIs of the night gave moved him past Lloyd Moseby’s 651 for fourth on the club’s all-time list.

Favre could get paid to stay off the field
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Brett Favre’s reinstatement to the NFL was held up again Friday as the three-time MVP mulled getting paid not to play through a marketing deal with the Green Bay Packers that could resolve the standoff over his retirement.
The potential agreement, worth a reported $20 million over 10 years, might end Favre’s bid to return just months after retiring. It also would likely keep him from reporting to Packers training camp and a team that is not planning to start him at quarterback for the first time since 1992.
After talking to Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy about the marketing deal Wednesday, Favre confirmed he was considering it to ESPN on Thursday.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy made it clear Friday that, from the team’s perspective, the agreement would be more than a buyout to make an awkward situation go away. In fact, it’s been in the works for months. He first heard about it at Favre’s retirement news conference in March.
“I know Mark Murphy talked to me about it in the past, how important it was for Brett to continue to be part of the organization after he was done playing,” McCarthy said after practice Friday morning. “And frankly, it’s good for Brett. Brett needs to stay a part of football, Obviously, he’s a part of the Green Bay Packers.”
Meanwhile, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sat on Favre’s reinstatement letter for the fourth straight day, giving the two sides more time to resolve the situation.
“The commissioner will take no action today on Brett Favre’s reinstatement request. Discussions are continuing between the Packers and Brett,” league officials said in a statement issued by NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.
Despite Favre’s tearful farewell to football, he now is considering a comeback.
The problem is that Green Bay hasn’t been eager to bring him back, with Aaron Rodgers taking over the starter’s role. The Packers also don’t want to release Favre, suspecting he would immediately sign with division rival Minnesota.
The Packers hold Favre’s rights until his current contract expires after the 2010 season.
Tensions have built between Favre and the team over the past several weeks. Earlier this week, Favre sent a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell requesting to be reinstated from the team’s reserve/retired list.
But Goodell has held off approving the request, hoping the two sides could resolve their differences. Murphy flew to Mississippi to meet with Favre and his agent, James “Bus” Cook, on Wednesday. That meeting apparently rekindled talks about the marketing agreement.
Favre said in a text message to ESPN reporter Ed Werder Thursday night that the marketing deal might be the best idea.
“There isn’t a perfect solution to this, but Mark Murphy is at least trying,” Favre told ESPN. “We know what they want and where I stand. His solution, although awkward and unsettling for most, may be the best in the end.”
Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk chuckled at the thought of being paid $20 million not to play.
“You could hand me a billion dollars, and I’m still going to be on the field,” Hawk said. “It doesn’t matter to me. But everyone has different situations, has different views on money. Money is not more important than football to me right now.”
But if the deal can’t be worked out, Favre still could be reinstated and report to camp, presumably forcing the team to trade him or reconsider releasing him.
Cook told The Associated Press Thursday that Favre understands he would be walking into a media frenzy by showing up for camp, but he’s willing to handle that it if that’s the only way he can force his way back into football.
“He’s prepared to deal with it,” Cook said. “He’s ready to go back, but he can’t go back until the commissioner reinstates him.”
McCarthy has said the team has a plan in place should Favre report to camp. He’d have to pass a physical exam and a conditioning test, then likely would be limited to individual drills at first.
“He’s not a part of our 80-man roster right now,” McCarthy said. “And if or when he is, we’ll deal with that then. And I think our team has done a great job of just staying focused.”
The Packers did not practice yesterday, but players did hear from a guest lecturer: former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer.
Fleischer’s lecture on media relations was scheduled before the latest Favre controversy, but McCarthy said he took advantage of the opportunity to pick Fleischer’s brain on how he might handle the team’s current predicament.
McCarthy said Fleischer was “very encouraging” about the team’s approach.
“As popular or unpopular as it is, for as tough or as difficult as it is, I think the organization has stood strong,” McCarthy said. “They’re decisive, and they’re continuing to work through this. Everyone wants this resolved, don’t get me wrong. No one thought it would get to this point, but this is where we are.”

Blue Jays Fire Gibbons, Bring Back Cito Gaston
fter being swept in Milwaukee by the Brewers and losing five straight games, the Toronto Blue Jays have fired manager John Gibbons, coaches Marty Pevey, Ernie Whitt and Gary Denbo.
Cito Gaston has returned as the manager. Nick Leyva will coach at third base and Gene Tenace returns as the hitting coach. Roving hitting instructor Dwayne Murphy will take over as the first base coach.
Gaston becomes the first two-time manager of the Blue Jays, moving over from his position as club ambassador and special assistant to the president and CEO.
He managed the Blue Jays from 1989-1997 and led the team to four playoff appearances including back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993.
The team made the announcement Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh before the start of their three game series with the Pirates.
The Jays, who were expected to contend in the AL East and the Wild Card, find themselves in last place in the division with a 35-39 record.
Gibbons, took over the Jays job at the end of the 2004 season, replacing Carlos Tosca. In three full seasons from 2004-2008 under Gibbons, the Jays never finished with fewer than 80 wins or more than 87.
“You never really anticipate it, there’s always that possibility,” Gibbons said during a conference call. “We were struggling, there’s no question about that. Hopefully change is good. I’m still a big fan of these guys and I want to see them succeed.”
In 610 career games as a manger, Gibbons has a 305-305 record. He was making $650,000 this year.
The 61-year-old Tenace worked as the Blue Jays’ hitting coach and bench coach between 1990-97. Leyva also is making a return to the Jays. The 54-year old was the third-base coach from 1993-97.
Gaston becomes the fourth Blue Jays manager in seven years under General Manager J.P. Ricciardi. Tosca replaced the fired Buck Martinez, whom Ricciardi inherited from former GM Gord Ash.

CFL legend calling it quits
TORONTO – Veteran CFL quarterback Damon Allen is calling it quits.
A league source requesting anonymity said Tuesday the Toronto Argonauts quarterback has decided to retire after 23 seasons. The source added Allen will make it official at a news conference Wednesday. The source said Allen will remain with the Argos in an unspecified role, but added it’s very unlikely Allen will join head coach Rich Stubler’s staff.
Dan Lawson, Allen’s longtime agent, politely offered no comment when asked if his client had indeed decided to call it a career.
Allen, 44, had maintained as early as last week that he intended to attend training camp and compete for the starter’s job.
However, the harsh reality was he would have gone into camp third on the depth chart behind newly acquired Kerry Joseph and veteran Michael Bishop, both of whom signed new deals with the Argos in the off-season.
Allen, a San Diego native, will leave the CFL as pro football’s career passing leader with 72,381 yards. The younger brother of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen played on four Grey Cup-winning teams and in 2005, he captured the league’s outstanding player award.
The six-foot, 190-pound Allen entered the CFL as a free agent with Edmonton in 1985 and also spent time with Ottawa, Hamilton, Memphis and B.C. before the Lions dealt him to Toronto in 2003.
At age 41, Allen led Toronto to a Grey Cup title in ’04 against the Lions despite having suffered a fractured tibia earlier in the year. With brother Marcus on hand to watch in Ottawa, Allen captured Grey Cup MVP honours for the third time after completing 23-of-34 passes for 299 yards and one TD. He also ran five times for 10 yards and two TDs.
Allen opened last season as Toronto’s starter but was replaced by Bishop in the third quarter of the first game before ultimately dropping to No. 3 on the depth chart behind backup Mike McMahon. Allen later regained the starting job when Bishop was injured and McMahon failed to impress.
However, Allen suffered a toe injury and was ultimately placed on the injured list, giving Rocky Butler the starting job. Allen finished the season 45-of-67 passing for 492 yards and three TDs with no interceptions.
A further sign Allen’s time with Toronto had come to an end was the club’s blockbuster off-season trade for Joseph, the CFL’s outstanding player last year who led Saskatchewan to the Grey Cup.
Allen was a two-sport star at Cal State Fullerton. He led the Titans football team to a pair of Pacific Coast Athletic Association titles but was also a pitcher on the school’s baseball team that captured the ’84 College World Series. Allen was drafted by Detroit Tigers in ’84, the same year that club won the World Series.
Allen never signed with Detroit and instead went to Edmonton in ’85. In 1987, Allen replaced injured starter Matt Dunigan in the Grey Cup and captured his first MVP award after leading the Eskimos to victory.
He won his second Grey Cup with Edmonton in 1993 before returning to baseball in ’94, signing a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He reported to spring training that year, but left to resume his CFL career with the Eskimos. Allen also won a Grey Cup with the Lions in 2000.
Despite his gaudy aerial numbers, Allen was hardly the typical strong-armed quarterback. Blessed with quick feet and a knack to sense an oncoming rush, Allen often relied on his legs to get himself out of trouble. In 1991 with Ottawa, Allen ran for 1,036 yards, becoming just the second quarterback in CFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season – Edmonton’s Tracy Ham ran for 1,096 yards in 1990.
Allen is the CFL’s career rushing leader among quarterbacks with 11,920 yards and third overall behind only Mike Pringle (16,425 yards) and George Reed (16,116).
As Allen got older, he showed a maturity that often comes with experience. Rather than risk injury by running downfield at the first sign of trouble, Allen often used his scrambling ability to evade the rush and give his receivers time to get open downfield. In 2005, Allen threw for a career-high 5,082 yards and completed 64.1 per cent of his passes en route to capturing his only CFL outstanding player award.
The following year, though, Allen suffered a broken finger that force him to miss roughly a month of action. He made football history Sept. 4 in Hamilton when he broke former CFL star Warren Moon’s all-time passing record of 70,553 yards.
The historic completion was a shovel pass to Arland Bruce III, who took the ball 29 yards. Play was halted briefly as Allen was honoured on the field by then CFL commissioner Tom Wright.

Jason Reitman, Kevin Smith blog for NHL
LOS ANGELES – Jason Reitman, Lauren Conrad, Dierks Bentley and Kevin Smith are among the celebrities who will blog about their love of hockey on the National Hockey League’s Web site.
Beginning Wednesday, more than a dozen celebs will follow their favorite teams through the Stanley Cup playoffs, said NHL spokeswoman Bernadette Mansur.
“As NHL.com bloggers, they can be irreverent and candid about their love for the NHL,” she said.
A native Canadian who grew up in Los Angeles, Reitman, 30, became a hockey fan seven years ago. Since then, the Oscar-nominated director (“Juno”) has dedicated himself to the cause, directing commercials for the NHL and serving on its entertainment advisory board.
“I’d come to really love the game and I was just a little upset because I felt there was more of an opportunity for particularly Americans to know about the game and follow the game,” he told The Associated Press.
Reitman told the league to call him if he could be of any help and they asked him to blog.
“This year is a little depressing because my two teams, the (Vancouver) Canucks and the (Los Angeles) Kings, neither of them are in the playoffs,” he said, adding that the invitation came “when the Canucks still had a chance.”
“Now the Canucks aren’t in it. So what I decided is that I’m going to write a kind of mythical blog about what the Canucks and Kings would be doing had they still been in,” he said. “In my version, for the first time in NHL history, the Canucks and the Kings will be the first two Western Conference teams to actually meet in the Stanley Cup finals.”
Conrad described herself as “a casual hockey fan” who has followed the Kings for the past two seasons.
“I’m blogging about the NHL playoffs because I love live hockey and I thought this would be a fun way to get more involved with the postseason,” the reality-TV star said in a statement.
This is the second year that stars from movies, music and television have brought their hockey fan-dom to the blogosphere. Celebrities blogging about the 2008 quest for the Stanley Cup include David Boreanaz, A.J. Buckley, Tom Cavanagh, William Fichtner and Geoff Stults.