Who's Hot Who's Not

Who's Hot

PADRES
Being .500—as San Diego was after winning its ninth straight on Sunday—isn'tall that great. But for a team that lost 19 of 23 earlier this season andaverages an NL-low 3.77 runs and tried to trade ace Jake Peavy last week ...well, for the Padres and thriving closer Heath Bell (right) it's a record to beproud of.

MATT STAFFORD
Detroit's highly paid No. 1 pick is months from an NFL down, but the QB shonein practice and the win-starved Lions are glad to have him. "Veryimpressive," end Eric Hicks said, adding that he chased Stafford on abootleg, hoping $100 bills "might fall out of his pocket."

JASON GIAMBI
The repatriated A's slugger took a curtain call in Oakland after hitting his400th career homer last Saturday. It was about this time last year thatGiambi—who says he wants to "get this team going"—got hot with theYanks. On Sunday he hit number 401 in a victory.

RORY SABBATINI
No one at the Byron Nelson Championship has ever shot as low as Sabbatini's261—an effort capped by a six-under round on Sunday. "It's a great feelingto win anything associated with Lord Byron," said Sabbatini, who got a hugfrom Nelson's widow, Peggy.

Who's Not

CUBS
Being .500—the Cubs' status after losing their seventh straight on Sunday—isn'tso bad. But for a team that cruised to the NL Central title last year andopened May with six wins in seven games ... well, "embarrassed" is howlefthander Ted Lilly, who had lost his last two starts, put the team'smood.

T.O.
For all the tightly worded pleasures Twitter has given to sports fans (SI, May18), did we really need a new forum for Terrell Owens? The Bills' receivertweeted blame at Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and QB Tony Romofor making him leave Dallas.

JOSE CANSECO
The fledgling MMA fighter (and former A's slugger and steroid whistle-blower)went homerless in a hitting exhibition versus ex--Mariners reliever Kaz Sasakiin Yokohama, Japan. Said Canseco, in town ahead of a bout against a 7'2"Korean dude, "I should have practiced more."

MIKE KEENAN
The kinder, gentler coach—the same guy who rabble-roused teams such as thelate-'80s Flyers and the 1994 Cup-winning Rangers—was fired again, afterpresiding over Calgary's second straight playoff flameout. So the total numberof NHL teams he has run through is eight.

SI PLAYERS NHL POLL

Based on a survey of 324 NHL players

SHOULD THE NHL BAN FIGHTING?

Yes 0.6%
No 99.4%

SHOULD A SHOOTOUT DECIDE PLAYOFF GAMES AFTER ONEOT?

Yes 3.4%
No 96.6%

FAST FACTS
Poll completed just before playoffs.... The January death of Canadian seniorleague player Don Sanderson, who slipped during a fight and hit his head on theice, sparked public outcries to end hockey fights.... Chicago's Adam Burishtangled with Detroit's Darren Helms (above, left) on May 17.... Through Sunday,one playoff game had gone past a single OT; in 2007 there were eight suchgames.... Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury stopped San Jose's Milan Michalek in aFebruary shootout (above, right).

 

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NICK LAHAM/GETTY IMAGES (BELL)

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GREGORY SHAMUS/GETTY IMAGES (STAFFORD)

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SHIZUO KAMBAYASHI/AP (CANSECO)

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MIKE STONE/REUTERS (SABBATINI)

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JEANINE LEECH/ICON SMI (SHOOTOUT)

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LOU CAPOZZOLA (FIGHT)