Saturday Score

Starting out back...

Former Arvada West star and current Toronto Blue Jay pitcher Roy Halladay has been shelved after having an emergency appendectomy. That is a crusher for the Jays and a tough break for one of the American League's best pitchers. Injuries are seemingly the only thing to slow Halladay down. The WSN word is this -- if Halladay were in a bigger market he'd be much bigger news. He is a workhorse with skill, an old-school pitcher and a rarity in today's game. Get him out of Toronto and on to a competitive team and he becomes like another former Jay and current St. Louis Cardinal, Chris Carpenter.

New Broncos back Travis Henry gets praise from one of the great football writers of his generation, Paul Zimmerman. The WSN says Henry is a tough, a grinder who will never remind of Clinton Portis or even Tatum Bell's big-play talent but he might be a souped-up version of Olandis Gary, which ain't half bad.

If Denver wants to jump start its' offense it could do far worse than offer Pittsburgh a second-round draft choice for disgruntled guard Alan Faneca, a prototype Broncos' lineman. He would dramatically improve the chemistry and toughness of the line and make things easier on Henry and second-year quarterback Jay Cutler.

Sweeping the Nation

Ah, Ricky Williams just can't say 'no' to his seductive mistress. Ganja is too alluring, too sexy, too fun to turn his back on even when he knows she is no damn good for him. His emotional pain was significant enough for him to chill out on the weed and now he is just a slave. Too bad for him as a person and what a wasted talent. His days in Miami showed he can be a dominant back. In the end, he will go down as one big flake and enigma.

Staying truth to a brother. Jacksonville vice president of player personnel James Harris decided Byron Leftwich is his man at quarterback even if coach Jack Del Rio wanted Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn in the first round of the draft. The Jags took Florida safety Reggie Nelson instead. Remember that move. Leftwich is tough, competitive and talented and yet Del Rio doesn't believe in him. If Quinn excels like the WSN says he will, in time, Harris could get fired.

Anyone seen those ghastly San Diego Padres uniforms? The commissioner ought to punish the team for exposing fans to such visual pain.

Ken Griffey Jr. has 569 career homers and despite his chronically injured body, he gets saluted for his accomplishments. Sammy Sosa has 596 homers and to me, that total might as well be zero because he's a cheater. Sadly, Sosa had the eye, bat speed and talent to hit a ton of balls out of the park without the juice. He's likely clean now but for a long stretch, he wasn't. Come Hall of Fame voting time he should remember he did this to himself.

Golden State is more athletic than Utah and has more firepower but the Jazz have Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams and will that series in seven games because the Warriors will struggle to win in Salt Lake City.

Scoreboard Grumblings

Josh Fogg had it going for six innings, blanking San Francisco before it all came unraveled. The Giants raced around the bases for eight runs over the final three frames to steal a game on the road, 8-3. Fogg faded, the bullpen blew up and it was over. Todd Helton homered and recorded two hits on the night to raise his average to .397.

Random Ramblings

Sorry, but is this some carnival game where you are supposed to toss the ball into the hole?

Final Salvo

Don't miss the big Sunday Truth column tomorrow.