Could someone please tell me why in the hell this game is scheduled to start at 4:35pm EST? Is MLB's goal to try and get as few people to watch this series as possible, or something? Sure, it isn't quite the same as Rays/Sox, but I mean it should still be a pretty good series.

Anyway, the Phillies got a hard fought victory last night to go up 1-0 and will look to build on that this afternoon.

Former wife beater Brett Myers will take the mound for the Phillies, while 16-game winner Chad Billingsley will go for LA.

As for the offenses, Pat Burrell is absolutely on fire right now. After going hitless in the first three games of this postseason, Burrell is 5-for-7 in his last two games with three home runs and five RBI. Plus he hit the game deciding home run last night. 

On the flip side, Manny just keeps being Manny, smoking the ball all over the place.

Right now, 53% of FanIQ is going with the Dodgers for some reason. Did everyone miss last night's game or something? Philly is good. Plus you know the Phillies are playing at home, too, right?

Anyhow, feel free to chat it up here or on the game page.

The Rays will beat the Red Sox in the ALCS. How do I know? This T-shirt told me so. [Home Run Derby]

Kellen Winslow has a rather unfortunate injury involving balls, and not the ones you catch. [Deadspin]

Former NHL goalie Clint Malarchuk just can't seem to stop nearly killing himself. [Rumors and Rants]

Per our hockey post earlier today, Shania Twain might be dating Maple Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph, a.k.a. Cujo. My favorite potential name for the couple - Shanjo. [Puck Daddy]

The Redskins are 4-1, which means it's obviously time to start cutting "Redskins Are Going To The Super Bowl" raps. [Shutdown Corner]

Mike Wilbon, not a fan of Kimbo Slice. No sir. [Fanhouse]

Any chance I can get to make fun of Mike Dunleavy, I'll take. [Ball Don't Lie]

We've reached Day 3 now of Pacmangate, and while it isn't nearly as annoying as this summer's Favregate was, it's beginning to get there.

As of right now, Jerry Jones says that Pacman has done nothing wrong in his mind, even though he was reportedly furious that Pacman got in trouble again. Anyway, here's what Jerry has to say on the fight:


Did Jerry Jones just say "jiving?" I can't even remember the last time I heard that word used, maybe 1972, and I wasn't even alive then. I assume he means this kind of jiving, of course.



Jerry Jones has also made it clear that the Cowboys won't discipline Pacman, which is great if, you know, the Cowboys were actually the ones deciding his fate.

The truth is that Goodell will be deciding Pacman's fate, and he's apparently pretty damn pissed.

"I don't think there's any misunderstanding about the position that Adam has put himself in with respect to all of his behavior," Goodell said on ESPN radio Thursday. "I have been very clear with him on how his behavior cannot reflect poorly on himself, the team, or the NFL …

"I guess I would tell you that I'm disappointed that we're even discussing this at this point in time. We will have to wait for the facts, and understand exactly what happened before making any determinations."

As of right now, Pacman will play this Sunday, but that may not last too long. I'd have to think that if Goodell doesn't wind up kicking Pacman out of the league for this fight, Pacman will hardly be able to breathe without having the NFL watching his every move. And if he so much as jaywalks, he'll be done for good.

Cowboys won't suspend Pacman, NFL mum on discipline [USA Today]

Not to sound like a cynical old curmudgeon, but what is going on with our schools these days? Pretty soon, we're no longer going to have competitive sports. Everyone will get equal turns at the plate, equal touches on the football field and we'll just feel great about ourselves.

And then in school, everyone will wear the exact same outfits, get the exact same grades and all will be dandy. The sissification of America continues today in Palmetto, Florida.

12-year-old Zachary Sharples is a passionate baseball fan and a proud supporter of his Tampa Bay Rays. To show his support, like many young kids, he wanted to mimmick the players on the Rays so he went and got a 'Rays-Hawk' haircut.

When Zachary showed up to school Monday at Lincoln Middle School he was given an in-school all day suspension because of his haircut. The ruling: "a distraction" according to principal Super Lame.


As you can imagine, his parents were not too happy... with the school.


What a little Devil.

'Ray-hawk' gets Manatee student in trouble [Bradenton Herald]

 

Every time I think there's no way the NHL could do anything stupider, they always wind up surprising me. As you may or may not know, the NHL for some reason decided that Def Leppard - who hasn't been relevant in about 20 years - would be the right band to have play during the NHL Face-Off Rocks opening night festivities on Thursday in Detroit. What, was Fats Domino unavailable?

But as bad as that was, nothing will ever top this. During the performance, a few of the Detroit Red Wings players paraded around the stage with the Cup before handing it off to Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliot. And what did Elliot do? Why, he placed the Stanley Cup upside down on a nearby table, of course. Doh. Well, you know, the Cup doesn't exactly come with an instruction manual.




It sounds like he says "It's upside down? Well, nevermind. What do we know, we're soccer boys."




That's what you get for having a British band promote a sport they've never even heard of.

And to top it all of, after the performance Elliot was given a chance to make amends for his gaffe, and reportedly said this.

"It doesn't matter anyway."

Needless to say, don't expect Def Leppard back for the NHL Face-Off Rocks next year.

No one gave Def Leppard the Stanley Cup instruction manual? [Puck Daddy]
"Deft" Leppard [Food Court Lunch]