Baseball : timely information.

David Segui, who briefly played for the Expos, admitted to taking steroids during his career.

In « La presse », Ronald King is pleased to inform us all the reporters covering the Expos at the time knew about it : David Segui had gained so much muscle and overnight and become so aggressive with empires, other players and, last but not least, journalists, the matter had become a joke.

A joke not to be shared with Ronald King’s readers, though.

Ronald King concludes by a calling Segui a « petit con ». He is probably right, but either he « knew », and then why did he fail to inform us, or he had a gut feeling backed by no evidence, and then why claim now he « knew » ?

With the Mitchell report coming out, Ronald King will no doubt feel safe to come out too, with sensational never published before years-old scoops.

NHL/LNH : wits' end ?

Carbonneau wants the team goalies « to steal games ».

Well, does it not sound like a confession of coaching impotence ?

Is Carbonneau already at his wits’ end to wake the Canadien up ?

Is this how you build a winning season ? By praying your goalies will steal games ?

Is this the Canadien strategy to bring the Stanley Cup back to Montreal ?

It sounds a bit thin, unless it is the NHL bottom line : in every game, the better goalie wins.

If so, why waste money on coaches ? To dress the unpleasant and crude truth under sophisticated game plans ?

Then, again, Carbonneau is lacking in creative thinking.

NHL /LNH : smart injury.

Well, well, we may have underestimated Huet’s deviousness.

His so light injury is the greatest Public Relations trick : sitting out is presently the only way to rise and shine with the Habs.

One week off the ice and Huet is back at the top of Pierre Ladouceur’s « La presse » players’ bulletin.

One week on the ice, without the privilege to pick and choose the safer opponents, and Price is suddenly called « ordinaire » in a game.

One week off the ice and Huet may pick and choose to return just when he feels the Habs are about to shake themselves out of lethargy.

One week off the ice and Huet may well regain a true number 1 goalie spot, rather than lose it for good.

Still have to make a few stops, though.

NHL/LNH : lousy on and off ice.

Slowly but surely, general managers come to confess it :

Salary cap = no trades = no media attention.

Slowly but surely, general managers come to admit it :

Their on-ice product attracts only a few Canadian die-hards ; league visibility shall be achieved through off-ice action :

Give me trades,

Give me more Bertuzzi-Moore trials,

Give me fights, give me controversies, give me doping scandals, give me more stupid expansion plans, give me anything short of a lock-out (though...) so the NHL get media coverage.

Formula 1 racing : great off-track action.

Formula 1 racing : great off-track action.

Mc Laren spies on Ferrari, Renault spies on Mc Laren.

Mc Laren is guilty and sentenced to nothing, then loses all its constructor’s championship points and is fined 100$ million dollars.

Renault is guilty and sentenced to nothing, for the time being.

Alonso leaves Renault, Mc Laren contracts Alonso, Hamilton faster than Alonso, Alonso fights with Hamilton, Mc Laren, leaves Mc Laren. Alonso is hired by Renault.

What comes next ?

Renault is fined 200$ million ?

Piquet Jr. faster than Alonso, Alonso fights with Piquet Jr, Renault, leaves Renault ?

Red Bull spies on Toro Rosso ?

Formula 1 : great off-track action ; too bad they still have these lousy races.