WHO'S Hot/WHO'S Not
WHO'S Hot
Pro Bowl
Skills Challenge
See Daunte Culpepper try to throw a ball through a target (and miss with a clang); watch beefy linemen vying to out-bench-press each other; gasp as Darrell Green, 45, races guys half his age; and cheer as Hines Ward (left) battles a rapid-fire JUGS machine. Just plain fun. Like taking your favorite NFL player to the county fair.
Phil Mickelson
He's been atop the leader board for two weeks now, after he became the first golfer ever to go wire to wire at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. On the 18th hole last Sunday, as his year's winnings jumped to a PGA-best $2 million, Lefty was embraced by three-year-old daughter Sophia. This week? He's taking a vacation.
Kyle Lohse
Baseball's get-rich season has begun! Twins righty, who earned $395,000 last season, won 2005's first arbitration hearing, getting $2.4 million--after going a lousy 9-13 with a 5.34 ERA. Said Lohse, "This makes you feel good about the start of the year."
Memphis Hoops
After starting 12-17, NBA's Grizzlies have gone 18-5 and are doing it all together now: 10 players have led team in single-game scoring. The city's NCAA hoopsters are rolling too: 15-10 Tigers have won five of six and beat then No. 9 Louisville.
Ronaldo
Brazilian soccer god celebrated Valentine's Day, and impending wedding to model Daniella Cicarelli, by renting French castle and inviting 250 friends--folks like Ronaldo's Real Madrid teammate David Beckham and Formula One champ Michael Schumacher.
Who's Not
Pro Bowl
Football without urgency is no football at all, and not even Bill Cowher in an aloha shirt could brighten this dull game. More than a dozen players begged out--some with "undisclosed" injuries. Terrell Owens, who did show, said, "I could have played today." Instead, he stayed happily on the sideline, "just having fun."
Madison Square Garden
Its NBA tenants (the Knicks) have lost 17 of 21. Its NHL tenants (the Rangers) are out in the cold, and now the NFL says that after 10 years it will move its draft out of MSG, effective immediately, because the owners of the self-proclaimed world's most famous arena oppose building a Jets stadium in Manhattan.
Sam Mitchell
Tough go for Raptors' rookie coach. He had an embarrassing scuffle with guard Rafer Alston; veteran Eric Williams asked for a trade; and Vince Carter's mom, Michelle, reportedly said her son and Mitchell tussled before Carter was dealt to Nets. Oh, yeah: Toronto's falling out of playoff hunt.
Atlanta Hoops
With losses in six of nine--they were upset by N.C. State on Sunday--Georgia Tech (14-8) may not make NCAAs a year after playing in final. The NBA's Hawks? Dovish. Yet fans don't want them to get outta town: They're 2-21 in road games.
Baseball Sluggers
Jason Giambi tried our patience with lame apology for ... something; on 60 Minutes, Jose Canseco (page 39) couldn't recall if he'd injected Mark McGwire "often" or "twice"; Barry Bonds was labeled a steroid user by alleged ex-mistress. And new Mariner Richie Sexson got charged with DUI. Spring training? How about spring cleaning?
COLOR PHOTO
ELSA/GETTY IMAGES (HOLT, CLEMENTS)
COLOR PHOTO
OTTO GREULE JR./GETTY IMAGES (MITCHELL)
COLOR PHOTO
KEVIN COX/WIREIMAGE.COM (BYNUM)
COLOR PHOTO
LALO YASKY/WIREIMAGE.COM (RONALDO)
COLOR PHOTO
MARK GOLDMAN/ICON SMI (LOSHE)
COLOR PHOTO
KIRBY LEE/WIREIMAGE.COM (WARD)