Fast forward to 0:33 for the nastiest one-punch knockout in recent NHL memory:

I get that professional sports teams are always looking to expand their fan base.  And I realize that the Hispanic demographic is growing.  Since even the Reds have been reaching out to the Spanish speaking population, it's not surprising that the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns, two teams in the southwestern part of the country, would be willing to do the same.

I'm not sure, however, that this was the best way to do this:

Really, NBA?  You couldn't have put more effort into creating a uniform that didn't look like the word "Los" was just ironed on 15 minutes before tipoff? 

Or here's another thought: how about using the actual Spanish words for Spurs and Suns, instead of just stamping a "Los" on the jersey (for those interested, it's Los Estimulos and Los Soles - that took me 40 seconds on a Yahoo search, way to put some effort into the whole thing)?  You can call a hamburger "Le Hamburger", but that doesn't make it any more French, so why do it this way?

This just comes off as pandering.  Good idea NBA, bad execution.

Few teams can match the pitching depth of the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox, but even Boston can ill afford to lose a pitcher the caliber of 20-game winner Josh Beckett.

Beckett, who has been dealing with back pain this Spring, left Saturday's schedule start before the game even began after loosing his footing on his first warm-up pitch. The team is hoping that the injury is minor and just spasms rather than a much more serious injury such as a bad disk.

"I think everyone holds their collective breath and is hoping that the severity of this is manageable," Red Sox pitching John Farrell told the Boston Globe. "Obviously missing a start today is short term, but again, it’s too early to speculate when he’d be on the mound next."

Boston's Potential Rotation Candidates
Josh Beckett
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Tim Wakefield
Jon Lester
Clay Buchholz
Bartolo Colon-(minor-league contract)
Curt Schilling-(shoulder injury - expected to be out until at least All-Star Break)

Everybody is talking about Josh Shipp's behind the backboard shot to help lift No. 2 UCLA past Cal on Saturday, 81-80. The real question is should it have counted?

To all those Dusty Baker haters out there, I suggest you read Paul Daugherty's column today. He breaks down Baker's management style succinctly. It's not by the books, far from it. It's a more personable approach to management. In fact, in my workplace, this is how I wish I was managed and this is how I have managed staff in the past. I get to know them. I make decisions based upon their personalities. I find out what motivates them, what doesn't motivate them. I found this got the best out of each of my employees.

Baker does the same thing. Some say he caudles veterans, I say he massages their massive egos. A lot of these vets have enormous egos and are set in their way. Many of them don't like to be told what to do or how to do it. So when a guy, with a strong reputation as Baker (who is also very likeable), gets to know you on a personal level (knowing your family's names, etc.), you tend to listen more to what he might be telling you.

Is Baker the perfect manager? Absolutely not. But Baker isn't some rookie hating, pitcher-destroying manager either. I think, he might actually be the right man for this job. He'll certainly be better than the batch of lousy managers the Reds have had in the recent past.