Cleaning out the Inbox

Sweeping the inbox starts off with a Devils alert as they start the first of back to back meetings with Philadelphia tonight.

I missed the 2-1 loss to the Wild that was due to an unlucky bounce of the puck by Johan Hedberg,who was about the only player that played well according to ILWT.

One note from the baseball world as the Pirates sent pitcher Joe Martinez to the Indians for a player to be named or cash.
One possible return could be for the Indians to allow Josh Rodriguez to be sent to the minors in the event that would be needed....

I suppose dealing Martinez and the lack of a shot that John Bowker would be appear to getting when you look at the Pirates roster makes the Javier Lopez trade of little return.
I really liked the deal with the Giants when they made it,but if the return players aren't going to receive a chance to play then the return will always be lacking....

Sorry to hear of the passing of perhaps the best middleweight never to have won the world title as  "Bad" Bennie Briscoe passed on at the age of 67.
Briscoe fell short in three tries at the world title,back when the world title had just one or two claimants instead of the 512 that we have today.
Briscoe fought just about every middleweight you could list from the 1970's including all time greats Carlos Monzon and Marvin Hagler and won most of those bouts.
Had there been the plethora of belts then that there are today,Briscoe would have certainly been a world champ and had Briscoe been born later,there could have been quite a series for the world belts between Briscoe and fellow Philly warrior Bernard Hopkins.
Much of life is timing and luck and in the boxing game,Bad Bennie had little of that.



The Cleveland Cavaliers finally have a Cavalier for a mascot instead of a dog,which I could never figure out as they have added Sir CC to the fold.
Never fear though,as Moondog is still around though,although I don't know why a team needs two especially when one isn't really part of the teams nickname.
I remember going to Washington Bullets games as a kid and wondering why the team mascot was a live dachshund named Tiny that ran all over the floor (Literally at times,I'd bet).
I know a Bullet would be a awkward looking mascot,but a dog?

By the way,now that Ted Leonsis owns the "Wizards" as well as the Bullets,how about a return to the Bullets name and red,white and blue unis?
Ryan tells me that both are rumored.
Besides I would like my game used Jimmy Black Bullets jersey to be in style again!!!!

Finally,I was all ready to skip Tiger Woods 2012 for the PS3 in order to save some bucks,but EA Sports did the one thing that made me want to buy-finally adding Augusta National so you can play the Masters.
The course has never been offered before and I cannot wait!
EA has even added the voice of the Masters in Jim Nantz to the game for the first time and paid for the rights to the music that is used during the tournament.
EA is even moving the games release up from its usual June to the end of March so you can play the virtual Masters before the real tournament.

Say whatever you want,but EA Sports puts the money up to do things right.
Now just add the ability to use Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson to the game and it will be just perfect.
This link discusses the amount of work that EA put into adding Augusta National to the game from the video gamer side.

Photo Credit-David Kyle-Getty Images