Transaction Wire

Nets fire Byron Scott. Interesting. Head coach can't get along with best player, so fire head coach. Not too bad an idea, I suppose, and a player like Jason Kidd is worth it if this gets him to stick around for a few more years. Sadly, though, Eastern Conference Head Coach has joined the ranks of NFL kicker for least job security in a pro sport.
Mo Vaughn retires. Things weren't the same since he left Boston, but that should've been expected considering his swing was made for Fenway. With a nasty uppercut and an incredible fatness, a pitcher's park like Shea is the last place you want to be. By finally realizing what we've known for a few years now (that his career is over), Vaughn opens up a roster spot for a rebuilding Mets ballclub. Of course, that spot immediately went to Todd Zeile, who is passible as veteran leadership and a right handed bat off the bench.
Aaron Boone pulls a Shea Ralph. "Now batting for the Yankees... third base... Enrique Wilson. Wilson." Good good. The Boones were once a proud baseball family, but now Bret is a walking steroid joke, and Aaron is once again the human leg injury. But wait, couldn't Todd Zeile take his spot? Well, let's see what Zeile has to say about that.
Indians minor leaguer Kazuhito Tadano becomes the new Paris Hilton. I don't even want to comment on this.
Jesse Orosco retires. Satchel Paige and Minnie Minoso both breathe sighs of relief (and none of my readers understand why).
Cubs sign Ryan Dempster. Yet another young Marlins pitcher with arm problems. If he stays healthy (note: on this site, "if he stays healthy" means, well, he won't) he has a chance to be a decent number 5 guy. We'll see how that goes.
Blue Jays resign Roy Halladay. Get ready once again for sports people to pull out the old phrase "the best fill in the blank you've never heard of."
Red Sox resign BK Kim with intent to move him to starter. Yes, the BoSox do need a few more good starters, but the rap on Kim is that he's never effective after you've faced him once or twice in a game. Of course, Kim's the one who wants to be a starter, so let's see how this experiment goes. Remember, this guy's only thrown three bad pitches in his life, he just picked a really bad time for them.

My dad's explanation for his beer gut

"I heard people talking about 6 pack abs, and I thought you got them by drinking 6 packs of beer."

Jones to Perform in All-Star Challenge

No, this won't get him kicked out of Morrissey

Julius Jones has been selected to compete in the 2004 Capital One College Football All-Star Challenge on Sunday, February 1, at 12:30 eastern on FOX. At the challenge, 4 QB-back/receiver combos compete in skill competitions. Jones will be paired up with either MSU's Jeff Smoker, Tennessee's Casey Claussen, Kentucky's Jared "Get in mah bellay!" Lorenzen or John "Lance Storm" Navarre. The other receivers and back are Texas's Roy Williams, UDub's Reggie Williams, and Chris Perry. My personal hope is that they're a pie eating contest between Lorenzen and Claussen.

Look for the Super Bowl preview tomorrow, and I should have the NL West preview up some time this weekend. Also look out soon for my book report on Pagna/Best's Era of Ara.