Who's Hot Who's Not

Who's Hot

BAY WATCH

MLB's two NorCal clubs, the Giants and A's, were a combined six games over .500 (with a 2.86 ERA) and flirting with first, thanks to two of the premier pitching staffs in the majors.

MAN

Macho machines? A robot combat champ named Ziggy, in town for RoboGames, challenged the 49ers' Joe Nedney (right) to a kicking contest from 40 yards. Score one for humanity!

OH, DANNY BOY

Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle (right) bounced back nicely from his embarrassing own goal in Game 3 against Colorado: He had four points in three games to help close out the Avs.

CHUCK: EMOTE!

Why play seven-game NBA series in April? Maximum Barkley! Sir Charles (right) so far: playing with a Shake Weight, cussing boothmates and being bopped in the nose by Kenny Smith.

Who's Not

BAY BOTCH

Note to A-Rod: Might want to check the schedule before crossing in front of the mound again, as the slugger did in Oakland to Dallas Braden (left). He sees the A's seven more times in 2010.

NATURE

First volcanic ash from Iceland had sports fallout: 500 runners couldn't get to the Boston Marathon. And last Saturday a tornado warning at Talladega forced a Sunday doubleheader.

BUCS—AHOY!

Apologies to Chris Jakubauskas, who took one off the noggin last Saturday, but Pittsburgh's pitchers are putrid, getting lit up for 20, 10, eight and eight runs during a six-game losing skid.

CHUCKIE: GOAT

The NFL draft on ESPN turned into The Jon Gruden Show as the ex-coach riled Steve Young and bullied vets like Tom Jackson and Chris Berman—to what, laud Tim Tebow?

SI PLAYERS NHL POLL

WHO IS THE BEST SHUTDOWN DEFENSEMAN?

Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings 25%

Zdeno Chara, Bruins 23%

Shea Weber, Predators 10%

Chris Pronger, Flyers 9%

Scott Niedermayer, Ducks 7%

FAST FACTS

Of all first-line pairings, only the Predators' Weber and Ryan Suter (2%) were both among the top 10 vote-getters.... Washington's Jeff Schultz and Mike Green led the Caps to the Presidents' Trophy and finished one-two in plus-minus among defenders, yet only Green was recognized—with one vote.

Based on a survey of 272 NHL players

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JOHN CORDES/ICON SMI (BRADEN)

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TONY MEDINA/ICON SMI (NEDNEY)

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DON SMITH/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (BOYLE)

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JOE MURPHY/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES (BARKLEY)

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LEON HALIP/US PRESSWIRE (LIDSTROM)