Winnipeg Free Press

1. October 5, 2008

2. Déjà Blue all over again

   By Ed Tait EDMONTON -- Just when it seems the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have taken some big-time steps to salvage their 2008 season, they turn a corner and... promptly tumble down a long flight of stairs and land on their collective lips in a twisted mess.
   
   Bomber recap

3. Czechmate: Jagr's replacement leads Rangers to win in Prague

   By Karel Janicek

4. Kennedy shoots down Alfie, Sens

   By Stephan Nasstrom STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Tyler Kennedy spoiled Daniel Alfredsson's homecoming.

5. Ducks snap up Moose defenceman McIver

   By Gary Lawless ONE of the risks involved with having experienced players that can excel at the AHL level and log minutes in the NHL as well is that they're attractive to other teams.

6. Bomber recap

   ESKIMOS 36 BOMBERS 22

7. Hey Pats, 49ers have their own genius

   By Greg Beacham SAN FRANCISCO -- Frank Gore has spent every NFL post-season of his career at home, so the 49ers running back has logged ample time in front of the television appreciating what Bill Belichick can do with a defence.

8. Close but no cigar for gridiron squad

   A missed field goal in overtime by Manitoba Bisons kicker Scott Dixon was enough for a single point but not enough for a win as the Simon Fraser Clan (October 5 2008, 2: 50 am CDT) defeated the defending Vanier Cup champions 10-8 in Canada West football action late Friday in Abbotsford, B.C.

9. Chargers fear Wildcat strike

   By Steven Wine MIAMI -- The Miami Dolphins' practice field is in the landing pattern for Fort Lauderdale's nearby airport, so attentive passengers may have the scoop on the latest wrinkle in the NFL's most successful single-wing offence.

10. Surprise AFC contenders renew Hatfield-McCoy rivalry

    By David Ginsburg BALTIMORE -- There are two distinct ways to look at today's game between the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens.

11. So... bring on the Boatmen

    By Ed Tait EDMONTON -- It's not exactly a marquee matchup. And it certainly won't be hyped as a Thrilla in Manila, Ali vs. Frazier battle of heavyweights.

12. Unlike White Sox, Rays good in clutch

    By Rick Gano CHICAGO -- Relaxed and loose, some of the Tampa Bay Rays wore ski caps and earflaps for a workout Saturday, only to find sunny skies and crisp temperatures not requiring extra protection.

13. Bit of Miller goes down well in Milwaukee

    By Chris Jenkins MILWAUKEE -- J.J. Hardy and the Milwaukee Brewers kept their post-season hopes alive for another day. All it took was a little patience.

14. Bosox will throw Beckett at Halos

    By Jimmy Golen BOSTON -- The Los Angeles Angels might have thought they caught a break when they didn't have to face Red Sox ace Josh Beckett in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

15. Altona's Voth leads MJBL award winners

    THE Manitoba Junior Baseball League has announced its 2008 season award winners and all-stars with Josh Voth of Altona taking top honours as the league MVP and winner of the Eddie Cass award. Voth was also named outstanding pitcher (October 5 2008, 2: 50 am CDT) and the all-star left-handed pitcher.

16. Players don't 'give a rat' about FedEx Cup: Nicklaus

    BESIDES Tiger Woods, the most important figure in men's professional golf is unquestionably Jack Nicklaus, so when Jack talks, people should listen.

17. Bisons' fiery Colpitts wants vengeance on Vikes

    The University of Manitoba women's soccer team will break a three-game losing streak today if forward Karli Colpitts has her way.

18. Sleeping giants awaken at Talladega

    TALLADEGA, Ala. -- A pair of once-mighty teams returned to the top of the Talladega Superspeedway leaderboard with very different things to prove.

19. Win and a loss for U of M hockey teams

    A road victory got the University of Manitoba Bisons women's hockey team off to a strong start as they opened the season with a 3-1 win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns in late Friday action in Lethbridge's Nicholas Sheran Arena.

20. Local boxing legend Sparks dead at age 75

    MANITOBA boxing legend and former Canadian light heavyweight champion Al Sparks passed away at age 75 on Sept. 29 following a stroke.

21. Curling has 10 ends; curling calendar has 12

    "ö Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, on disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy reporting to prison: "Never saw the headline I kept waiting for: 'Whistle-blower goes to jail.' "

22. October 4, 2008

23. Best revenge a 'W'

    By Ed Tait EDMONTON -- It's a matchup that would have Vince McMahon positively beaming. It's a cage match without the cage, a no-holds-barred brawl minus the turnbuckles, the folding metal chairs and the foreign objects.

24. Time for CFL to get with program

    CFL commissioner Mark Cohon took a big step towards protecting the league's players this week and a small step towards regaining control of the league from its players association.

25. Moose get big blue-line boost

    By Gary Lawless MANITOBA Mooose coach Scott Arniel had a good day get a lot better on Friday with the news that his defence group will have the parts to be among the best in the AHL.

26. Three Manitobans get national call

    CANADA'S national women's hockey program has announced its rosters for two upcoming events and three Manitobans have been chose to wear our country's jersey.

27. NHL PREVIEW - WESTERN CONFERENCE: Red Wings still best in west

    By Bill Beacon A look at the NHL's Western Conference teams, in order of predicted finish (October 4 2008, 11: 22 am CDT):

28. Puck drops on NHL season in Europe

    STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Daniel Alfredsson has spent the last few days enjoying the spotlight in his native Sweden, but now the Ottawa Senators captain is ready to get down to business.

29. MJHL well-represented at tryouts

    THE MJHL will be represented by 17 players at Team Western's training camp as players vie for an opportunity to skate in the World Junior A Challenge this November.

30. Thrashers host championship, have big plans

    Gary Lawless The Winnipeg Thrashers won their way to last spring's Telus Cup and despite being the host team for the 2009 AAA Midget National Championship they say they want to arrive in the same fashion.

31. Ex-Sens say partying not the problem

    By Peter O'Neil PRAGUE -- Former Ottawa Senators defencemen Wade Redden and Andrej Meszaros rejected Friday speculation that their former team's collapse last year was linked to excessive partying.

32. Around The NHL

    Rangers name Drury new team captain

    NEW YORK -- Veteran forward Chris Drury was named captain of the New York Rangers on Friday.

33. GAME DAY: Bombers at Eskimos

    Game 14 Today 6 p.m. / Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton - TV: TSN; Radio: CJOB

    HOW THEY MATCH UP

34. INSIDE THE Xs AND Os

    FYI: BOMBERS VS. ESKIMOS

    MR. BARRENECHEA TAKES THE STAND:

35. 3 keys to victory

    1. Put the brakes on Ray

    Rarely, if ever, is Eskimo QB Ricky Ray completely shut down from picking apart a defence. And in last week's loss to Winnipeg he did throw for 434 yards and two touchdowns to up his numbers in the last three games against the Bombers to nine TDs against just two interceptions. But those totals can also be a tad misleading.

36. Johnson back in lineup tonight

    By Ed Tait EDMONTON -- It may sound odd that Jovon Johnson could find peace and some sort of emotional therapy from stepping onto the football field again. But when you've been through hell and back like the Winnipeg Blue Bomber defensive back has been in the last week, any semblance of normalcy can be a good thing.

37. So far Favre a dream come true

    By Dennis Waszak Jr.

38. Is Leinart a loser? Coach says no

    By Bob Baum TEMPE, Ariz. -- Matt Leinart was merely a witness to the Arizona Cardinals' debacle at the Meadowlands.

39. Vick in poorhouse as well as big house

    NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Lawyers for Michael Vick asked a federal bankruptcy judge on Friday to appoint a mediator to help settle his debts to creditors, saying a third party might expedite a resolution in the case.

40. Lions escape with win but lose Pierce to injury

    TORONTO -- The B.C. Lions had only two practice sessions since their last game before facing the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night -- and it showed.

41. OBITUARY: SCOTT NORRIS: Amateur football loses main architect

    By Chris Cariou MANITOBA'S football community will dearly miss Scott Norris on the sidelines but also at Football Manitoba's annual dinner, where he always said grace with a great deal of grace.

42. Around the NFL

    Former star Phillips gets 10-year jail stint

    LOS ANGELES -- Former football star Lawrence Phillips was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison, two years after he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon.

43. It just had to happen

    By Beth Harris LOS ANGELES -- All the talk of goats, curses and 100 years of World Series futility had the spotlight squarely on the Chicago Cubs in the NL division series. Now, it's the team from the weakest division in baseball that's on the verge of closing out the bumbling Cubs.

44. In praise of Rays: 'Awesome'

    By Fred Goodall ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Young, resilient and a victory away from the American League championship series. The Rays are breezing through the playoffs, much as they did during the regular season.

45. Brew Crew better suck it up today vs. Moyer

    By Chris Jenkins MILWAUKEE -- After Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel reminisced Friday about Gil Hodges' World Series exploits in the 1950s, Jamie Moyer couldn't help himself.

46. Mourinho obnoxious, arrogant and darn proud of it

    MILAN, Italy -- Being arrogant is all part of a strategy for Jose Mourinho.

47. Situation in Newcastle comical farce

    Jerrad Peters There's a new soap opera on television this fall. It appears every weekend and features a cast of the most comical, ridiculous and unpredictable characters.

48. Around NASCAR

    Earnhardt's practice sessions go badly

    TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. had better days at Talladega.

49. Once-mighty DEI performing like it's DUI

    By Jenna Fryer TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Dale Earnhardt passed his love of Talladega Superspeedway to his race team, which took a must-win mentality into every event at NASCAR's biggest track.

50. Castroneves could be dancing behind bars if tax charges stick

    By Curt Anderson MIAMI -- Race car driver and Dancing With The Stars winner Helio Castroneves pleaded not guilty Friday to U.S. federal tax evasion charges and declared outside the courtroom that he would treat the case like a race against the Internal Revenue Service.

51. 2015 PAN AM GAMES

    Ontario enlists Peterson for pitch

    TORONTO -- Politicians and athletes officially kicked off Toronto's bid to host the 2015 Pan Am Games on Thursday night, vowing at an Exhibition Place rally to bring home a win for supporters.

52. October 3, 2008

53. Blue's faith in Serna fragile

    By Ed Tait IT'S admirable, really, this faith the Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue to hold in their kicker Alexis Serna. And it's also risky, not to mention stubborn, reckless and more than a little naive.

54. NHL comes calling on Moose rock

    By Gary Lawless A big part of Max Fortunus's game is to go unnoticed and while that results in good times for the goalie behind Fortunus, it doesn't do much to catch the eye of an NHL scout.

55. European team possible in future: NHL

    By Peter O'Neil PRAGUE -- Canadian hockey players won't object if a distant European capital, rather than a hockey-mad Canadian city like Hamilton or Winnipeg, becomes the next site for a new NHL team, the representative for the players predicted here Thursday.

56. Preds' complaint against 'Boots' could top $100M

    On 2 THE Nashville Predators filed a claim Wednesday with the United States federal bankruptcy court, claiming damages caused by former team co-owner William (October 3 2008, 2: 50 am CDT) Del Biaggio.

57. Habs may mark centennial with Cup

    By Chris Johnston

58. Schneider back to begin battle for starting role

    THE Toronto Marlies dumped the Manitoba Moose 4-2 in pre-season action in St. John's, N.L., on Thursday night.

59. CFL takes action on head hits

    By Chris Cariou YOU could say it was the hit that was heard around the world.

60. Armstead's break-out year

    By Chris Cariou IMPRESSED with what Jason Armstead has brought -- finally -- to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' kick-return game? An 84-yard punt return TD last week to put an exclamation point on what has been a key improvement to special teams and the Bombers overall?

61. Today's Bomber Report

62. ED TAIT'S WEEK 15 IN THE CFL

    B.C. LIONS (October 3 2008, 2: 32 pm CDT) at TORONTO ARGONAUTS (4-9)

63. NFC East is where the heavyweights reside

    Avi Saper This just in: The NFC East is really good.
    
    VIDEO: Avi Saper's Week 5 picks

64. Phillies' mound-man Myers pushes Brewers to the brink

    By Rob Maaddi PHILADELPHIA -- One more loss to the Phillies, and CC Sabathia and the Milwaukee Brewers will have all winter to rest.

65. Longoria powers Rays past Sox

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Cool and calm, or so it seemed.

66. L.A. Angels' Anderson lets numbers do talking

    ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Garret Anderson is just one of the crowd in the Los Angeles Angels clubhouse, and that's the way he likes it.

67. Age doesn't matter, performance does: Nash

    On 2 TUCSON, Ariz. -- It was an innocent and friendly question, the kind you can ask a dozen people during the course of a day.

68. NBA wants closer monitoring of referees

    On 2 NEW YORK -- A review of the NBA's officiating program found no evidence of illegal activity by any referee other than Tim Donaghy, though it recommended significant changes for monitoring gambling and game integrity.

69. Who will be the other Manitoba team?

    Paul Wiecek The thing about an elephant in the room is that when it leaves, everyone suddenly has a lot more breathing room.

70. Shuffling on men's side as well

    THE women weren't the only Manitoba curlers doing a lot of personnel shuffling over the summer.

71. Italian cyclist admits to doping at Tour de France

    On 2 ROME -- Cyclist Riccardo Ricco was banned for two years by the Italian Olympic Committee on Thursday after admitting to doping during the Tour de France.

72. October 2, 2008

73. MLB playoffs

    Slammin' Dodgers clip Cubs

    By Rick Gano CHICAGO -- Manny Ramirez and Joe Torre brought their winning post-season ways to the Los Angeles Dodgers -- and Wrigley Field.
    
    Red Sox drop Angels in opener
    No Milwaukee magic for Game 1

74. Pre-season: tune-up for some, do-or-die audition for others

    By Gary Lawless PRE-SEASON hockey often has a funny mix of players on the same roster that have completely different psychological outlooks. For some it's a warm-up and a chance to get the motor running while for others there's enough at stake for them to take on a near-playoff intensity.

75. Radulov's Russian-club deal wrongful: IIHF

    By Graham Dunbar BERN, Switzerland -- Russian forward Alexander Radulov was wrong to sign with a club in his home country while under contract with the Nashville Predators, hockey's world governing body ruled Wednesday.

76. Cherry's tailor preparing for NHL season

    On 2 DON CHERRY says he's going to dazzle Hockey Night in Canada audiences with his wardrobe this year, that is if he doesn't get fired first.

77. Smooth-skating ex-Ranger built links with Soviets

    By Chris Cariou AGGIE KUKULOWICZ was a North End Winnipeg kid once hailed as the next Jean Beliveau but also "the man," former Free Press sports editor Hal Sigurdson wrote in 1989, "Soviet hockey players (October 2 2008, 2: 50 am CDT) to for advice about life in North America."

78. Spring cleaning to lift Sens?

    By Chris Yzerman OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators are counting on an off-season of addition by subtraction to get them headed in the right direction.

79. Wolverines' Bowles saluted for 11-point week

    On The Home Front / Ashley Prest Wolverines' Bowles saluted for 11-point week

80. Balsillie after Preds again: report

    TORONTO -- Jim Balsillie has renewed his efforts to become an NHL owner, according to reports.

81. AROUND THE NHL

    Tucker, Raycroft lovin' their 'field of dreams'

    DARCY TUCKER hopes it will be a long time before he truly knows what heaven is like. But he's pretty sure he has a good idea.

82. Refusal to panic paying off for Blue

    By Ed Tait LESS than three weeks ago Brendan Taman was an idiot. And Doug Berry a (October 2 2008, 2: 50 am CDT).

83. Rookie knows he's a target

    By Ed Tait He may be a fresh-faced rookie greener than St. Paddy's Day in Dublin, but Marc Beswick knows exactly how this is going to play out over the next couple of days...

84. Today's Bomber Report

    Hardware for Armstead

    Bomber kick returner Jason Armstead is the CFL special teams player of the week for his work in the win over Edmonton. Armstead scored on a 84-yard punt return and finished with 150 yards on four punts while adding 41 yards in kickoffs. Stanford Samuels was a runner-up to B.C. end Cam Wake for defensive honours.

85. Ed Tait Thinks You Should Know

    PINCH HIM:

    You might say Winnipeg Rifles receiver Jeremy Botelho is having a good week. Check that, he's having a fantastic week. First, Botelho pulled in seven passes for 182 yards and three TDs in last weekend's 54-14 thrashing of the Edmonton Huskies that kept alive the Rifles' playoff hopes. Then came a phone call from the Bombers, asking him to come and practise with the club this week.

86. Arnold named PFC defender of the week

    On The Home Front / Ashley Prest IT was the best defensive performance of the season for the Winnipeg Rifles last week and Rifles linebacker Matthew Arnold has been named the Prairie Football Conference defensive player of the week.

87. T.O., Romo downplay dissatisfaction

    On 2 IRVING, Texas -- Folks in San Francisco and Philadelphia must be loving this: Even though the Dallas Cowboys tried getting the ball to Terrell Owens on one-third of the plays last Sunday, he still wasn't satisfied.

88. Former Rifles standouts clicking with Bisons

    THE University of Manitoba football team (October 2 2008, 2: 50 am CDT) will stampede into Burnaby, B.C., to meet the Simon Fraser Clan (3-2) in a must-win Canada West conference matchup and four former Winnipeg Rifles are leading the charge.

89. NFL NOTEBOOK

    Belichick rejects Davis' claim Pats tampered with Moss

    FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots coach Bill Belichick denied Wednesday the claim by Raiders owner Al Davis that New England had a workout with Randy Moss before obtaining him in a trade with Oakland.

90. Red Sox drop Angels in opener

    By John Nadel ANAHEIM, Calif. -- No matter how much the Los Angeles Angels dominate Boston in the regular season, the Red Sox roll in October.

91. No Milwaukee magic for Game 1

    By Tom Haudricourt PHILADELPHIA -- Many times throughout the 2008 season, particularly in the final, frenetic week that pushed them into the playoffs, the Milwaukee Brewers used an awkward offensive formula to win games.

92. Rays, Sox look well-matched despite Chicago's extra effort

    By Fred Goodall ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Fresh legs and arms on one side, experience and momentum on the other.

93. Info hints at fixed UEFA Cup match: report

    On 2 MADRID, Spain -- A Spanish judge has sent German prosecutors information suggesting that Russian mobsters fixed a UEFA Cup semifinal game last season between Russian team Zenit St. Petersburg and Bayern Munich, a leading Spanish newspaper reported Wednesday.

94. Earnhardt sure could use win at Talladega

    By Jenna Fryer CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Time is running out for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to thrust himself into championship contention, and NASCAR's most popular driver probably has just one race left to make a major move in the standings.

95. Bruckschwaiger, Christie earn nods

    On The Home Front / Ashley Prest CROSS-country runner Katrina Bruckschwaiger has been named the Smitty's University of Manitoba Bisons female athlete of the week after the second-year runner was the Bisons' top runner in the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis last Saturday.

96. Gymnasts remain under scrutiny

    CHINA'S gold medal gymnasts were old enough to compete in the Beijing Olympics, however, international gymnastics officials still have questions about the team that competed in Sydney.

97. Armstrong challenged to retest '99 samples

    On 2 PARIS -- France's anti-doping chief has proposed that Lance Armstrong agree to a retesting of urine samples from his first Tour de France win to determine whether they show traces of EPO.

98. October 1, 2008

99. His patience paying off

    By Tim Campbell STEINBACH -- After attending the New York Rangers' midsummer prospects training camp, forward Oren Eizenman had a contract offer on the table.

100. Glenn OK to play; mum on head hit

     By Chris Cariou QUARTERBACK Kevin Glenn's mouth -- sore jaw and all -- finally moved for the masses on Tuesday.

101. His patience paying off

     By Tim Campbell STEINBACH -- After attending the New York Rangers' midsummer prospects training camp, forward Oren Eizenman had a contract offer on the table.

102. Luongo named Canucks' captain; can't wear 'C'

     By Jim Morris VANCOUVER -- In a move that breaks with tradition, and the NHL rules, the Vancouver Canucks named Roberto Luongo the team's captain Tuesday, even though the goaltender will not be able to have a 'C' sewn on his uniform.

103. Former Jet Neufeld now Bisons volunteer coach

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest RAY NEUFELD, the Winkler native and former Winnipeg Jets player, has joined the University of Manitoba Bisons men's hockey team as a volunteer coach for this season.

104. Bisons winless in season but victorious vs. AHL prospects

     Bisons winless in season but victorious vs. AHL prospects

105. High school hockey continues to show strength

     On the Home Front / By Ashley Prest A High of 33 teams for the second straight year highlights the Winnipeg High School Hockey League which has faced off for its 24th season.

106. Penguins lose Gonchar for four to six months

     Around The NHL PITTSBURGH -- Penguins defenceman Sergei Gonchar will have arthroscopic surgery on his dislocated left shoulder Thursday and miss four to six months of the upcoming NHL season.

107. Vets boost Bison ice crew

     By Ashley Prest It's going to be a season like no other for the University of Manitoba Bisons women's hockey team.

108. Blue player rep Brown in an awkward position

     By Chris Cariou IT felt strangely Tuesday as if 6-foot-8, 300-pound Doug Brown was the scrambling 5-foot-10, vulnerable quarterback trying to elude an all-out blitz rather than the relentless guy who's out to seek and destroy for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

109. FIRST AND GOAL

     In The Huddle / Ed Tait Five storylines that jumped out while observing the last week of Canadian Football League action:

110. THE HUDDLE RANKINGS

     Here's how we rank the eight CFL teams after Week 14 of the season:

111. Double-winner Allen, Thiessen cream of crop

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest BEN ALLEN, Grade 11 quarterback with the Kelvin Clippers of the Winnipeg High School Football League, is a double winner in individual accolades this week.

112. Tempted to toke, but didn't: Williams

     On 2 MIAMI -- Ricky Williams says he was briefly tempted to smoke marijuana during the Miami Dolphins' bye weekend, an act that could have ended his roller-coaster NFL career.

113. Canadians jazzed for playoffs

     By Shi Davidi Jason Bay struggled with the feeling that he'd gone from zero to 100 miles an hour in an instant during his first days with the Boston Red Sox.

114. Happy Cubs keep Piniella happy by picking up option

     Around The Majors CHICAGO -- Manager Lou Piniella plans to stick with the Chicago Cubs for a while.

115. Calderon greatly improved but still his own man

     On 2 OTTAWA -- Jose Calderon arrived in Toronto three years ago, an unheralded point guard who had been toiling in the Spanish League and never stepped foot on an NBA court.

116. Life as a writer has been a blast

     On the Tee / Adam Speirs All good things must come to an end. No, I'm not talking about the PGA Tour season. I'm talking about my Free Press column. This will be my last instalment of the year. Dry your eyes. Hopefully I will get an exemption to write again next year.

117. Learning the ropes

     By Gary Lawless A big part of pay-for-play hockey is passing and skating, but it takes a whole mix of things to make a pro. The Manitoba Moose are three days into their training camp and the youngsters are figuring their way around as pros. We asked some of the young blood about the biggest adjustments they're going through and then we asked some of the old hands what advice they wish they'd been given back when they were getting their start.

     The young guys

118. Leger earns judo bronze at international event

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest MICHAEL Leger of West Kildonan Judo Club earned a bronze medal at the U.S. Open Senior Judo International Championships at Colorado Springs, Colo.

119. September 30, 2008

120. A gift more precious than gold

     By Ashley Prest It was the touch of her little boy's hand, moments after her first gold-medal victory, that brought Michelle Stilwell to tears.

121. If you can't beat 'em, get their goalie

     By Tim Campbell Small comfort though it may be, Moose fans might feel marginally better knowing coach Scott Arniel has exacted a small measure of payback for last spring's four overtime losses to Syracuse in the first round of the AHL playoffs.

122. Blackhawks unhappy with Khabibulin

     On 2 CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks have put goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin on waivers, a team spokesman confirmed Monday.

123. Brendan Arniel lands back in MJHL after trade

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest BRENDAN ARNIEL, son of Manitoba Moose head coach Scott Arniel, has returned to Manitoba to continue his hockey career in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

124. The Injustice League

     By Chris Cariou QUARTERBACK Kevin Glenn was silent with a sore jaw on Monday, and the CFL was mute until late Monday with what punishment -- if any -- it would mete out to the player who made the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' most important player that way.

125. Today's Bomber Report

     Amos doubtful Bombers' GM Brendan Taman says DB Willie Amos (September 30 2008, 8: 09 am CDT) is doubtful for Saturday's rematch in Edmonton and the availability of DB Jovon Johnson, who returned to Erie, Penn., following the shooting death of his 15-year-old brother, is yet to be determined.

126. We should be able to knock blocks off prima donna QBs

     Doug Brown Writing 600 words about football the morning after your birthday party -- one that involved a 30-foot inflatable rubber duck, rookie security guards, a professional DJ, and a decibel level that prompted one of your immediate neighbours to actually abandon their home for the night -- is proving to be more difficult than I imagined, but they say God loves a trier so here we go.

127. Field goal in overtime gives Steelers 23-20 win over Ravens

     By Alan Robinson PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers were down by 10 points, and down to their fourth and last running back. Somehow, they found an offence that was missing for most of three quarters and a way to win a game that easily could have been lost.

128. Jags' Collier paralyzed following 14 bullet wounds

     On 2 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier, shot earlier this month, is paralyzed below the waist and had his left leg amputated.

129. Cool, calm, fired; Rams boot Linehan

     On 2 ST. LOUIS -- After experiencing the wild highs and lows of the Mike Martz years, the winless St. Louis Rams opted for cool, calm, reserved Scott Linehan as their next coach.

130. Chisox force do-or-die tiebreaker with Twins

     By Rick Gano CHICAGO -- Alexei Ramirez spread his arms wide, raced around the bases like a little kid and jumped into Paul Konerko's embrace at home plate.

131. To heck with Hollywood, Manny is L.A.'s big attraction

     By John Nadel LOS ANGELES -- Amid the celebration in the Dodgers' clubhouse, first baseman James Loney wore a T-shirt that said it all: "We love Manny being Manny."

132. Goldeyes get rights to .299 hitter Delgado

     On the Home Front / Ashley Prest THE player to be named later has been named. The Winnipeg Goldeyes have acquired the rights to infielder Mario Delgado from the Sussex Skyhawks of the Can Am League.

133. He'll pay penance for zero pennants

     By Shi Davidi TORONTO -- Paul Godfrey helped bring Major League Baseball to Toronto in 1977 as city council chairman and in 2000 became president and CEO of the Blue Jays, ushering the team through a period of dire financial times back to a stable financial footing.

134. Raptors' hopes buoyed as O'Neal holds court

     On 2 TORONTO -- Jermaine O'Neal strode onto the practice court Monday in his first official appearance in a Raptors jersey, and immediately made his intentions known: he'd like to make club president and GM Bryan Colangelo look brilliant and he'd love to prove more than a few naysayers wrong.

135. Healing ACL has Tiger in limbo until January

     On 2 TIGER Woods says football players who have the kind of knee surgery that ended his season usually are not at their best for two years.

136. Olympic archer to perform prior to Wesmen/Bisons tilt

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest JASON Lyon, Canada's Olympic archer who recently competed in Beijing, will be at the University of Winnipeg on Thursday for a special pre-game archery demonstration at about 6:45 p.m.

137. Blandford rows her boat to bronze in Ontario

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest CLAUDIA Blandford of Winnipeg earned a bronze medal on Sunday in the under-23 women's single sculls at the 2008 National Rowing Championship at the Doug Wells Rowing Centre at Fanshawe Lake in London, Ont.

138. Versatile Parsons named coach of the month

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest IAN PARSONS, head coach of the Charleswood Broncos pee wee gold team, has been named Coaching Manitoba Coach of the Month.

139. Deckert stopped in semi, dropped in doubles final

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest MERV DECKERT of Winnipeg reached the semifinals of the 2008 Rudy Harris 4-Wall Handball Tournament in Fargo, N.D., last weekend.

140. Reefer-smoking Russian says sumo matches fixed

     On 2 TOKYO -- A Russian athlete banned for life from Japanese sumo wrestling over a drug scandal says he was forced to lose matches in exchange for bribes.

141. September 29, 2008

142. Nine CCs of Sabathia

     By Ben Walker Already standing tall, CC Sabathia climbed on top of the Brewers dugout and sprayed fans with bubbly.

143. Derlago hoping for encore

     By Tim Campbell Of all the fill-ins, call-ups and understudies that populated a Manitoba roster of 53 players during the 2007-08 season, none came even close to making the impression that Brandon native Mark Derlago did.

144. Ducks feather cap with Finnish Flash

     ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Teemu Selanne signed a two-year, US$5.25-million contract with the Anaheim Ducks and scored a pair of power-play goals against the Vancouver Canucks in his pre-season debut Sunday night.

145. No rest for tired Penguins after landing in Sweden

     STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- The Pittsburgh Penguins arrived in Sweden on Sunday after an eight-hour trans-Atlantic flight from the United States. Instead of going to sleep, the Pens held a practice a few hours later.

146. Off to running starts

     The Point After / Avi Saper Show of hands, please. Who predicted the only two teams in the NFL to enter October with 4-0 records would be the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans?

147. NFL Sunday

     Jets 56 Cardinals 35

148. Rifles keep playoff hopes alive by hammering Huskies

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest The Winnipeg Rifles kept their playoff hopes alive by rolling out their best offensive and defensive performances of the season to close out their home schedule in the Prairie Football Conference on Sunday in Canad Inns Stadium.

149. Playoff-bound Als run roughshod over Riders

     By Bill Beacon MONTREAL -- All the talk has been of the Montreal Alouettes offence this season, but now the defence can stand as tall as any quarterback or receiver.

150. Big goal-line stand lifts Bears to 24-20 victory over Eagles

     By Andrew Seligman CHICAGO -- No meltdowns for the Chicago Bears this time. Instead, they came up with a big stand.

151. Villegas adds verve to FedEx finale

     By Doug Ferguson ATLANTA -- A two-putt par to win the Tour Championship in a playoff was worth an extra US$1.5 million to Camilo Villegas.

152. Recharged Ochoa busts out of slump

     On 2 PRATTVILLE, Ala. -- Lorena Ochoa won the Navistar LPGA Classic on Sunday for her seventh victory of the year and first since May, beating Candie Kung with a two-foot par putt on the second hole of a playoff.

153. Alonso claws way back to win night Grand Prix

     SINGAPORE -- In Formula One's first night race, Renault's Fernando Alonso captured the Singapore Grand Prix after starting 15th on the grid Sunday while McLaren's Lewis Hamilton extended his championship lead.

154. Not as handy with steering wheel as he is with joystick

     On 2 KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Well, it worked in the video game.

155. Richert rockets VW to sweet 16th

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest DAVID Richert of Niverville sped to his best result this season on the Volkswagen Clean Diesel Jetta TDI Cup circuit over the weekend.

156. Manitoba dragons third-best in world

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest MANITOBA'S dragon boat team earned three bronze medals over the weekend while representing Canada at the World Dragon Boat Championship in Poznan, Poland.

157. Visiting Bisons stumble in opening trip of season

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest IT wasn't the start to the 2008-2009 Canada West season the University of Manitoba Bisons men's hockey team had planned on. The team opened with a pair of losses on the weekend to Saskatchewan Huskies in Saskatoon.

158. Defence surprised in pair of road losses

     On The Home Front / Ashley Prest AFTER opening the season with a six-game winning streak, the University of Manitoba Bisons women's soccer team returned home after the weekend's West Coast road swing on a two-game losing streak.

159. Mosley wants big fights after KO of Mayorga

     On 2 CARSON, Calif. -- Shane Mosley would love to get another shot at a world title. If that's not in the cards, the former four-time champion says he'll take what he can get.

160. Veteran trainer dies after being kicked by horse

     FORT ERIE, Ont. -- John (September 29 2008, 2: 50 am CDT) Wilson, a Fort Erie, Ont.-based trainer, has died after being kicked by a horse at Presque Isle Downs Racetrack in Erie, Pa.

161. Ethiopian marathoner sets new benchmark

     On 2 BERLIN -- Haile Gebrselassie broke his own marathon world record on Sunday, becoming the first runner to finish under two hours four minutes.

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