Water Cooler – November 23rd, 2010
Here we go with today’s sports water cooler talk. Here, you won’t just find the straight news; you’ll find the stuff everyone is talking about – the ice breakers, the Twitter Sports Picks and topics…well, basically all the stuff you discuss at the water cooler.
Enjoy!
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We have a little bit of everything to report in today’s sports news – including a long overdue NFL coach firing and some hardware handed out in Major League Baseball.
NFL news: Vikings fire Brad Childress; Vince Young out for season; Hakeem Nicks out at least three weeks
Finally, the Vikings have dropped the axe on Brad Childress. After a 3-7 start to 2010 for a team that was supposed to contend for the Super Bowl, Minnesota had enough. It was a tumultuous run for Childress to say the least. He took a back seat to Brett Favre, was known for his communication problems and squabbled with his players. He compiled a 40-37 record with the Vikes, including a 1-2 mark in the playoffs.
He’ll replaced in the interim by defensive co-ordinator Leslie Frazier, who has interviewed for NFL head coaching jobs seven different times. He has already insisted that there’s “no hesitation” on his part to keep Brett Favre as the starting quarterback.
To update yesterday’s story on Vince Young’s thumb: his torn flexor tendon will indeed keep him out for the rest of 2010. He’ll have season-ending surgery in the next few days and the Tennessee Titans will place him on injured reserve.
Standout Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks isn’t headed for the I.R. but he will miss three or more games with Compartment Syndrome in his lower right leg. The ailment compresses the nerves and blood vessels so that oxygen and blood can’t reach the muscles and the muscles die. Nicks needs surgery to relieve the pressure; otherwise, the condition could be career-threatening.
MLB news: Joey Votto wins NL MVP; Scott Boras under fire for paying prospects; V-Mart to Detroit?
It must feel good to be a near-unanimous MVP when you’re competing against Albert Pujols. Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto won the National League award in a landslide vote yesterday. He batted .324 with 37 homers and 113 RBI. He led the NL in slugging and led all of baseball with a .424 on-base percentage. Votto is the third Canadian to win a Major-League MVP award, following Larry Walker and Justin Morneau.
As a man typically associated with bitter negotiations and a hot-shot approach to landing his clients big deals, it’s ironic that agent Scott Boras is in hot water for doing something that could be construed as good. Reportedly, his company supplied tens of thousands of dollars in loans and payments to the needy families of baseball prospects in the Dominican Republic. Whether or not he truly cared about them or was just trying to force them into signing with him is up for debate.
In doing so, Boras may have broken some MLB Players Association rules. The union regulations state that loans of more than $500 per year made by agents to players are forbidden unless the reasons are revealed to the union.
It’s not 100 per cent confirmed yet but it’s almost official that Victor Martinez will sign a four-year, $50-million contract with the Detroit Tigers. He’ll be Detroit’s starting DH and backup catcher.
NHL news: Hilary Duff admits to “sexting” Mike Comrie
Good for Hilary Duff. She’s not afraid to admit that she “sexts.” Probably because, unlike Brett Favre and Tony Parker, she’s doing it with her spouse. On a radio this week, she admitted to sending the Pittsburgh Penguins center racy photos – but “never with my face in it.” COOL.
Comments are welcome below!
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