Keeping Score

Are we lucky, or what? Swimming star Michael Phelps is writing a book — Built to Succeed — and it will be in the stores just in time for Christmas. . . . Mike Lupica, in the New York Daily News: “I keep hearing that it's the country's duty to spend more money on the Olympics, so the U.S. can hold its place in the medal count. If somebody has to fund Olympic athletes, let the people at NBC do it, they've got more riding on the Olympics than anybody.” . . . Are you listening, CTV/TSN/CBC? . . . Bob Molinaro, in the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot: "Katie Hoff, with her three swimming medals, and Michael Phelps, with his eight golds, call the same Baltimore suburb home. If Towson, Md., were a country, it would rank among the top 20 medal winners."

Cam Hutchinson, in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix: “Fans are extremely grateful the (Saskatchewan Roughriders) have lifted television blackouts this season, but many of them are now calling for a Rod Black out.” . . . One more from Hutchinson: “My initial reaction after reading of sadness in St. Louis after the international bowling museum and hall of fame announced it was leaving for Arlington, Texas: Oh, spare me.” . . . You have to know that Larry Popein is thrilled for old friends Andy Bathgate and Harry Howell these days, what with the New York Rangers having announced that they will raise their numbers (9 and 3, respectively) into the Madison Square Garden rafters on Feb. 2. Popein, who lives in our fair city, was teammates with both gents with the Rangers. . . .

This week’s big e-mail lottery win? According to a note in my inbox, it was “Three Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds and a brand new Peugeot 407 Car.” . . . And this just in: “This email is to notify you that you have won an Award Sum of 1,000,000.00 (One Million euro) in an E-mail program held in Den Haag, The Netherlands.” Thanks to Dr. Mark Harris for that one, but is it email or E-mail?

Former major league pitcher Hideki Irabu is in trouble with the law in Japan after he told police he put away 20 mugs of beer before getting into it with a restaurant manager. “Apparently,” noted Dwight Perry in the Seattle Times, “he went berserk when they wouldn’t let him bring in another relief pitcher.” . . . One more from Perry: “Jericho Scott, 9, has been banned from pitching in the Youth Baseball League of New Haven, Conn., AP reported, because he can throw a 40-mph fastball. In other Jericho Scott news, he’s reportedly dating a Chinese gymnast.” . . . Greg Cote, in the Miami Herald: "(Usain Bolt) is the fastest thing out of Jamaica since bales of marijuana in speedboats." . . . Smooth move by Steve Passmore in chasing down that would-be purse thief on Victoria Street, tackling and holding him until police arrived. Let’s be honest, though. The perp should be embarrassed to have lost a foot race to an old goaltender. And a tip of the cap to the RCMP for not charging Passmore with holding.

The Chicago Bears have named Kyle Orton their starting quarterback over Rex Grossman, bringing this response from Steve Rosenbloom of ChicagoSports.com: "Truth is, everybody will play quarterback this year, because the Bears' offensive line is expected to be brought up on manslaughter charges." . . . Charles Barkley doesn’t think any NBA superstars will be signing to play in Europe anytime soon. "First of all,” says Sir Charles, “I think Kobe (Bryant) and LeBron (James) have too much time on their hands. These guys want to be the best players in the world. I've been on TNT for years, and no one's ever asked me, ‘Who won the championship in Greece last year?' " . . . Mike Bianchi, in the Orlando Sentinel: “I love girls in bikinis as much as the next guy, but enough with NBC’s beach volleyball coverage already. You’d think this was a real sport or something. And, by the way, why is beach volleyball in the Olympics? What next — skimboarding, body-surfing, sand-castle building?”

Big news in Prince George this week as the 2009 World Baseball Challenge, which is scheduled for July 17-25 at Prince George Citizen Field, revealed that it will have a squad from the Cuban Baseball Federation taking part in the six-team event. Baseball fans in Prince George are hoping for a matchup of veteran pitchers Fidel Castro and Jim Swanson. . . . . When the NFL season gets rolling, J.T. O’Sullivan will be the San Francisco 49ers’ starting quarterback, with Alex Smith in reserve. O’Sullivan will earn US$645,000 this season; Smith will make $10.3 million. . . . Chris Ferrell of the San Antonio Express-News has a quickie quiz for you: "Conspiracy theorists will have an easier time discovering: (a) Official Chinese government documents proving that some members of its women's gymnastics team were too young to compete in the Olympics; (b) Exactly what happened in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963."

The New York Mets and Yankees are working on dueling concerts. The Mets want to have Billy Joel bring down the final curtain at Shea Stadium, while the Yankees are working to have Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney do the same at Yankee Stadium. One can be excused for having assumed that the Steinbrenners would bring back Frank Sinatra for the last show. . . . Ian Hamilton, in the Regina Leader-Post: “Citing irreconcilable differences, former tennis star Pam Shriver has filed for divorce from one-time James Bond George Lazenby. In court documents, she calls him The Spy Who Doesn’t Love Me.” . . . And another social note from Hamilton: “Laura Andrassy got a $107-million US divorce settlement from golfer Greg Norman last month. Now she reportedly wants some of the money Norman earned when he and his new wife, Chris Evert, sold the rights to the photos of their June wedding. Andrassy’s demand officially qualifies her as a golf bag.”

Bobby Ackles was one of my favourite all-time sporting people and I finally got around to reading his book — The Water Boy. Not surprisingly, it’s an excellent read. Ackles names names, meaning you will come to understand, for example, why the Arizona Cardinals are, well, the Arizona Cardinals. This book also should be required reading for anyone involved with any sports franchise that charges admission to its game because Ackles spells out what’s important and what isn’t when it comes to selling your team to the ticket-buying public. . . . Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times wonders: “Have the Olympics ended yet for West Coast viewers?” . . . Crowe also points out that Lakers head coach Phil Jackson, who received an honourary doctorate at the U of North Dakota on Monday, now is Dr. Phil. . . . “Speaking of nicknames,” Crowe adds, “he is LeBronze James no more.” . . . Headline at TheOnion.com: Michael Phelps returns to his tank at Sea World.

Gregg Drinnan is sports editor of The Daily News. He is at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca. Keeping Score appears Saturdays.