The Holy Taco has a post today featuring some of the best football celebrations of all-time. My favourite is shown above — an instant classic from the former Arena League, which reminded me of my a fine entry at the 1995 Springfield Film Festival.

Yeah, yeah. We see you.

Here’s something that might help in NBA refs regaining some credibility: According to the Orlando Sentinel, Dick Bavetta might be ready to call it a career when he’s finished leaving his mark on games this season. In case you missed it, the infamous Tim Donaghy said working with the 69-year-old Bavetta was “like pursuing a graduate degree in advanced game manipulation” in a tell-all that the league is currently trying to keep from being published. If Donaghy thinks you blow at calling games, then you really, really suck.

Donaghy claimed Bavetta has been the driving force behind several of the NBA’s most controversial games in recent years, including a pair that extended the Lakers’ playoff lives in elimination games against the Blazers and Kings in 2000 and 2002. However, perhaps the greatest of Donaghy’s revelations about Bavetta comes here (excerpt courtesy of Deadspin):

“Bavetta actually paid an American Airlines employee to watch all the games he worked and write down everything the TV commentators said about him. No matter how late the game was over, he’d wake her up for a full report. He loved the attention.”

That, of course, doesn’t come as much of a surprise, considering Bavetta’s little display of stupidity and affection with fellow attention whore Charles Barkley at All-Star Weekend a few years back. Yeah, we see you guys…nobody cares.

Anyway, Bavetta calling it quits would certainly help. Can we get Steve Javie to hang ‘em up next?

Bosh will have his hands full tonight with Tim Duncan

After splitting a pair in New Orleans and Dallas, the Raptors wrap up their current three-game west coast swing in San Antonio tonight against a Spurs team that’ll be without Tony Parker. Come on boys, capitalize! As always, a full preview over at Raptors Republic, where my NBA 2K10 game sim should be posted shortly.

The Spurs come in at 2-3, having lost back-to-back road games in Utah and Portland on Thursday and Friday, but I don’t think anyone is sweating it in San Antonio, because we know they’ll be there in May and June when it counts, as usual. With it being early and Parker out, the Raps actually draw the Spurs at the perfect time, with a win not out of the realm of possibility. The Raptors have actually played Tim Duncan & co. well the past few years — last season they picked up a win at the ACC sans Chris Bosh and they even escaped with a road win in ‘07-08, 83-73 in a slugfest. Don’t count on that kind of D tonight, but hey, anything can happen.

The key for Toronto, I’d say, is point guard play. Jose Calderon showed signs of coming out of his early season funk over the weekend, and he and Jarrett Jack will be counted on to jump on Parker-less Spurs, who’ll start George Hill in his absence. Post D, as usual, will be big, even with Duncan having lost an offensive step.

Anyway, how about a big road win before coming home for the Bulls and heading out west to do it again? The Raps and Spurs tip tonight at 8:30.

Take a seat, L.J.

Looks like Larry Johnson is gonna have plenty of time to mess around on Twitter and spit on women at clubs the next couple months. The running back, who was suspended two weeks ago for criticizing Chiefs coach Todd Haley via the site and for calling a Twitter responder and a reporter a fag, has been released. Now, while the NBA continues to reel from the loss of Allen Iverson, the NFL will have to deal with losing one of its biggest bums.

L.J.’s release comes with him 75 yards short of the Chiefs’ all-time rushing record, held by Priest Holmes. Last week Kansas City fans even started an online petition to have Johnson booted before he could come back and set the mark, which he would’ve had a shot at this weekend this weekend against the mighty Raiders with his suspension ending.

Johnson will have to pass through waivers before he can sign elsewhere, but I’m betting no one takes a shot on him the rest of the season. In seven games with the Chiefs this year, L.J. rushed for an impeccable 358 yards and no touchdowns.

Vick may be headed to Buffalo, according to Tony Dungy

The Buffalo Bills and Michael Vick have something in common this season — neither have had much going for them. The Bills, as we know, have been their post-Flutie selves, while Vick, though on a winning team, hasn’t seen much of the field with the Eagles. Prior to tonight’s Philly-Dallas game, Tony Dungy had a little suggestion Bills fans might find a bit interesting: Vick, who he’s been mentoring since his release from prison, might find himself in Buffalo in 2010.

Vick, who signed a one-year contract prior to this season, has a team option for next year at $5.2 million. Considering the season Donovan McNabb is having and that he hasn’t seen much action, it’s unlikely he’ll be back in Philly.

“It’s technically up to Philadelphia,” Dungy said on NBC. “If they want him back, he has to stay there. If they don’t there are some teams looking for quarterbacks.

“I think a dark horse is Buffalo,” he added. “They talked originally. There was some communication there. I think it would be a good fit.”

So Trent Edwards isn’t the answer? I could’ve told you that awhile ago. Oh yeah, I did.

My main criteria for Random Raptors Moments: Obscurity. I wanna find stuff that I didn’t even know happened. For example, did you know Mark Jackson moved into fifth in all-time assists in his half season in Toronto and even grabbed a standing ovation from the ACC crowd? Could’ve fooled me…

Freeman fared a little better than Trent Dilfer did in the same digs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into today’s game with Green Bay 0-7 and decided to bust out their peach throwbacks — the same uniforms they wore in a historically brutal era that included the NFL’s only winless season. It must’ve had some sort of reverse effect though — they rode an impressive performance from rookie quarterback Josh Freeman and made a fourth quarter run to come out with a 38-28 win.

Freeman, grabbed 17th overall out of Kansas State in this year’s draft, threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start, including a seven-yarder on fourth & 4 with just under five minutes to give Tampa Bay the lead. Tanard Jackson put it to bed with an interception return on Green Bay’s ensuing drive — the third pick of the day thrown by Aaron Rodgers.

Elsewhere around the league, the Bengals officially established themselves as legit (well, I’m believing it now, at least) with a nice 17-7 home win over the Ravens. Cincinnati made another big defensive stand and Cedric Benson continued his resurgence, rushing for 117 yards and a touchdown. Not sure what this was all about, but Mr. Ochocinco busted out some dolla bills for good measure.

Other scores from Sunday: Atlanta 31, Washington 17; Arizona 41, Chicago 21; Indianapolis 20, Houston 17; Jacksonville 24, Kansas City 21; New England 27, Miami 17; New Orleans 30, Carolina 20; Seattle 32, Detroit 20; San Diego 21, NY Giants 20; Tennessee 34, San Francisco 27.

At press time, Philly holds a 13-10 lead over the Cowboys in the third quarter of the Sunday nighter. Also, stay tuned for the crown jewel of the week tomorrow night — Kyle Orton and the Broncos are home to face the Steelers, and you can bet I’m going with the neck beard.

A.I. turned in his flashy blue uni, at least for the time being

Last week I predicted Allen Iverson would be off the Grizzlies and out of the NBA by Christmas. Now it looks like I was being a little cautious with that call — the washed-up gunslinger requested and was granted a leave from the team yesterday, for what is only being reported as “personal reasons” thus far. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley insisted his absence has nothing to do with his hurt feelings over his role on the team, though I’m guessing we won’t see the former Answer back in Memphis regardless.

Whether Iverson has a family issue to attend to or not (he’s back home in Atlanta indefinitely), I don’t see him coming back and playing for the Grizzlies. Since he just signed this summer, he’s not eligible to be dealt until Dec. 15, but why would any GM bother with the guy? He won’t accept a secondary role and will only destroy a contender, as he did in Denver (as we discovered he was doing after Chauncey Billups came in and ran that town following the trade) and Detroit last year. I’m sticking to my guns — Iverson is finished in the NBA.

Memphis, by the way, has dropped all three games A.I. has dressed for this season, with their only win coming on Oct. 30 against the Raptors with him in street clothes.

If I played football, I’d probably play one down and break every bone in my body. Surprising, Cal’s Jahvid best broke neither his neck nor his back in this spectacular spill last night against Oregon State, instead coming out with a concussion and a touchdown in the Bears’ 31-14 loss.

As for me, I’ll stick to playing baseball, basketball and non-contact floor hockey.

Overbay may be getting a change of scenery

Could change finally be on the horizon in Blue Jay land? According to several sources, Alex Anthopolous is having discussions with Arizona to send Lyle Overbay back to the desert in a deal for part-time catcher Chris Snyder — a trade that would likely result in Adam Lind moving to first base and Snyder filling the whole that’ll be left behind the plate when Rod Barajas likely leaves via free agency this winter.

First off, Overbay is a sweet kid. He’s a great defensive first baseman, but he hasn’t hit a lick since 2006, when he signed a four-year, $24 million contract. People will tell you it has to do with a broken hand suffered early in 2007, but I’m more of the opinion it’s because he’s way too selective a hitter and takes too many pitches right down the middle. If there’s a move that could give him a fresh start and free up a spot in our outfield, I’m all for it. But Snyder?

Here’s a little run-down on the Arizona backup: He broke in in 2004 and hit a combined 29 homers in 2007 and 2008 in 660 at-bats. Like Overbay, he walks and strikes out a lot. He lost playing time to Miguel Montero last year due in part to Montero’s breakout and his own poor play — he hit .200 with six homers in 61 games before undergoing back surgery in September. Here’s my biggest fear in acquiring him, though: He’s due $4.75 million in 2010 and $5.75 in 2011, while Overbay’s deal comes off the books after next season.

Anyway, a couple fun facts on the players rumoured to be on the move: Overbay got his start in Arizona, playing parts of three seasons before being dealt to Milwaukee following the 2003 season. Snyder missed a few weeks in 2008 while recovering from a fractured testicle suffered in a game. Yikes, that’s gotta sting.

(UPDATE: According to Sportsnet, the deal is off.)

Disco Dirk, doing some damage

When Patrick O’Bryant gets to close things out for the Raptors, it means one of two things — it was either a really, really good night or a hellish one. Friday night was good news, tonight…well, not so much. Big Patty’s late slide tackle of Rodrigue Beaubois wasn’t enough to spark the Raps to a win, as the Mavs rolled to a 129-101 romp.

I swear, if Disco Dirk Nowitzki got to play the Raptors 82 times a year, he’d average something like 62.1 points and shoot about 80% from the field. Something like that, at least. The German Sensation went to work again tonight, scoring 29 points and adding nine boards before calling in quits early in the fourth. Dallas shot an unheard of 62.4% and scored 74 points in the second half against Toronto’s usually rock-solid D (not).

The Raptors hung tough for much of the first half before the annihilation of the final 24 minutes. One problem, aside from not coming within 10 feet of a Dallas jump shooter all night, was bench play, which is especially big on a back-to-back on the road — Jarrett Jack, Marco Belinelli, Antoine Wright and Amir Johnson combined to shoot 6-of-24.

Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani carried the offensive load for Toronto, scoring 26 and 22, respectively. Jose Calderon had a decent game by his early-season standards, chipping in 13 and seven assists.

If one of the three on the current trip was going to get ugly, this would’ve been the one I picked. In all, a rough one, but one I can live with.

The Raps, who fall to 3-3 with the loss, are in San Antonio Monday before returning home to face Chicago on Wednesday.

Phil Kessel is into big things

VICTORY!! I’m telling you Leaf Nation, it’s starting to smell like 1967 (note: sarcasm, though the boys are starting to play well). Phil Kessel notched his first goal as a Leaf and Toronto rolled to a 5-1 win over Detroit tonight at the ACC — their first on home ice this season. Make that two in a row, points in seven straight and a tie for 13th in the Eastern Conference. Yes, the tide is turning.

Again, the Leafs got big games from the new Big Two — Kessel tacked on a third period assist to his first period assist and The Monster made 35 saves to win for the second straight night. Wayne Primeau, Jeff Finger, Alexei Ponikarovsky and John Mitchell also scored for Toronto, who improved to 3-7-5.

Sure, the Red Wings aren’t exactly flying to start the season, but a convincing win might just be an indication the worst of times are behind the Leafs. Well, all they have to do is win four of their next 15 for that to be the case — after all, they can only go up from the way they got things started this season. My prediction: The Leafs ride this hot streak for another 67 games and end up somewhere between seventh and 10th in the East.

Anyway, Toronto looks to make it three in a row Tuesday at home against Minnesota. I’m guessing Ron Wilson doesn’t let Vesa Toskala anywhere near this one.

A fitting end for Andrus and the Argos

In an all-around ugly season, the Argos saved perhaps their worst performance for last. Despite resting several starters with the playoffs looming, the Montreal Alouettes took command early and romped to a 42-17 win in Saturday’s season finale at Rogers Centre.

The Alouettes, with backup quarterback Anthony McPherson starting in place of the league’s top passer, Anthony Calvillo, scored on their first three possessions and took a 26-4 lead to halftime. McPherson was near flawless all afternoon, completing 16-of-20 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns before giving way to third-stringer Chris Leak to start the fourth quarter. McPherson also ran for 55 yards.

For the Argos, it was only a fitting end to a season of frustration. Even so, head coach Bart Andrus had positive things to say about his squad after the game.

“I told them how much they persevered throughout this year,” Andrus said of his post-game speech. “The way they came to work, their professionalism — this is a good group of people.

“When you have a group that works as has as they work, it’s just a matter of time before positive things begin to happen.”

Of course, time will tell if Andrus is around to witness a possible turnaround. He declined to comment after the game regarding his future and the future of the franchise as a whole. After a 3-15 campaign and with talk of the team potentially being sold, Andrus is as good a bet as anyone not to be back in 2010.

With little more to play for than pride, Andrus handed the starting quarterback duties for the finale to rookie Stephen Reaves. The southpaw struggled from the get-go in his first CFL start, overthrowing Brad Smith on Toronto’s opening possession for an interception that led to a Damon Duval field goal. In all, Reaves threw four picks and had another negated by a roughing-the-passer penalty.

“It was tough,” Reaves said afterward. “I pressed too much. I have to do a better job of taking what the defense gives me. I’d love to have a few of those back. Overall, a tough day against a tough defense.”

Reaves wasn’t the only Argo to slip up on an error-filled day. Andre Durie returned a first quarter kick 104 yards for an apparent touchdown, only to have it called back because of an unnecessary roughness call on Raymond Fontaine. Earlier in the quarter, long snapper Etienne Legare airmailed a snap to Justin Medlock, resulting in a turnover and an 18-yard McPherson touchdown pass to Kerry Walkins one play later.

Running back Jamal Robertson scored Toronto’s only touchdown on a one-yard run late in the third quarter but struggled horribly the rest of the afternoon, finishing with negative six yards on five carries. The Argos finished with zero rushing yards as a team.

If it’s true that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, then the Argos will have something to take from this nightmarish season. Durie, for one, suggested the team gained mental toughness that will provide an important boost in the future.

“We’re looking forward to more stability next year,” he said after the game. “Every championship team goes through losing, and we had a lot of it this year. We all stayed mentally strong though, and we’ll take that into next season for sure.”

Perhaps the biggest thing that will come from Saturday’s loss is closure. And with that, a fresh start.

“I’ll go to bat with these guys anytime,” linebacker Zeke Moreno said after the game. “I’d love to come back next year and see no new faces. We have the talent and the potential.”

Woof Woof

A little follow-up on everyone’s favourite hair-pulling, spine-punching little jewel of a soccer player that was all over the news yesterday: She’s suspended. Locked up (or at least held off the pitch) indefinitely. The University of New Mexico announced last night Elizabeth Lambert will sit for the foreseeable future and think about her horrible, horrible actions in Thursday’s game against Brigham Young.

Alright, so she got her punishment and it was well deserved. I’m ready to forgive her — after all, she’s not the first athlete to get a little pissed off and act up during a game. To her credit, she’s not making excuses:

“I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept any punishment felt necessary,” Lambert said Friday, according to a story on ESPN.com. “This is in no way indicative of my character or the soccer player that I am. I am sorry to my coaches and teammates for any and all damages I have brought upon them.

“I am especially sorry to BYU and the BYU women’s soccer players that were personally affected by my actions. I have the utmost respect for the BYU women’s soccer program and its players.”

So there, it’s in the past. Well, maybe we’ll let that poor BYU player pull her pony tail. Then we’ll call it even. Getcha popcorn ready!

The Raps have another early-season test tonight in Disco Dirk

I’m usually none too thrilled about a road date in Dallas, but after last night’s sh-lacking in New Orleans, I’ve got the Raptors winning by about 50. Okay, well maybe 30. Alright, I’ll settle for anything that doesn’t have us jumping to an early double-digit lead and then letting it get away, which has been par for the course for the Raps in Dallas the past few years.

First off, last night’s win still feels sweet. Sure, the Hornets are scuffling to start the year, but bad teams don’t go on the road and win by 17 against Chris Paul. A heroic effort to say the least, and all the more special with my guy Jose Calderon shaking his early season funk.

Meanwhile, the Mavs come into tonight’s game coming off a loss to those same Hornets in that same Big Easy, 114-107 in overtime on Wednesday. They’ve been up and down thus far — aside from the loss to CP3, they fell to the Wizards at home on opening night and came up with a win in Kobeland last Friday. Still, I’ve gotta figure this one won’t be a walk in the park. I’m starting to think the Mavs are a better team than I gave them credit for in my season preview, and they’ll be even more of a force when Josh Howard and Drew Gooden hit the court in the near future. Maybe it’s good we get to face them tonight, then.

Anyway, last night’s romp was a nice start to a hellish west coast swing and it certainly bodes well for tonight. The Raps look to make it two straight on the road and three straight overall — tip is at 8:30.

Not a Halloween costume, either

Tributes to Michael Jackson are all over the sports world, but nobody has taken it as far as Slammin’ Sammy Sosa to this point. The former steroid junkie showed up to some gala the other night and…well, see for yourself (here’s the Sammy I remember). There’s no word on what exactly is going on, though there are rumblings ranging from botched plastic surgery to a bad makeup job to vitiligo — the skin disease that got to MJ. I’m no family physician, but considering all the garbage Sosa pumped into his body all those years, I’d say anything is possible.

Anyway, something’s up. Not to sound insensitive or anything — I’m just sayin’.

CB drops the hammer

I love it when the Raptors surprise me, even if it does make losses like last Friday’s in Memphis all the more difficult. Chris Bosh and the boys shocked the world tonight in The Big Easy, blowing out Chris Paul and the Hornets 107-90 behind a second half three-point barrage and some rare D.

This one was a thing of beauty — the Raptors got at ‘em on the glass (a 51-41 edge) and forced every other Hornet than Paul to beat them. CP3 got his to the tune of 21 and 18 assists, but Bobby Brown and David West were the only others in double figures (16 and 14). Aside from Paul, no Hornet had more than one assist.

Chris Bosh was again the man offensively for the Raptors, going a perfect 9-of-9 and finishing with 27 points and seven boards. Jose Calderon shook his early-season blues with a nice little 16 and eight (with no turnovers) on 6-of-11 and Hedo Turkoglu chipped in 16 of his own. Toronto outscored the Hornets 34-14 in the decisive third quarter, making eight of their 14 total threes in the frame.

So, we’re back on track in Raptorland. Those worries after a pair of embarrassing losses last weekend? Out the window, my friend. Well, at least for one night. The Raps look to make it three in a row tomorrow night in Dallas, where dreams have historically gone to die for this team. Let’s make this the year that changes.

Love that Monster

We’ve got a winner! The Leafs picked up a point for the sixth straight game and didn’t even have to lose in overtime tonight — instead, they came up with a 3-2 win in a battle of the league’s worst in Carolina.

The Monster made 34 saves for the Leafs, who erased a 2-0 first period deficit and won it on Jason Blake’s power play goal about midway through the third. And who assisted on the winner? You guessed it — Phil Kessel! The new era has begun!

After Brandon Sutter and Sergei Samsanov scored to give Carolina an early lead, Toronto got second period goals from John Mitchell and Nikolai Kulemin to even it and set up Blake’s winner.

So, points in six straight and a fine little 2-7-5 record leaves the Leafs second-last in the Eastern Conference with a date with Detroit at the ACC tomorrow looming. Seven straight? To quote my close friend Tim Bentum, “Let’s see what happens!”.

That's gotta hurt!

Yep, a new contender for most offensive Halloween costume of 2009 has emerged. I still think Steve McNair is having a better year than Kerry Collins, though.

The above picture, by the way, is from another of Deadspin’s “Sports-O-Ween” galleries.

Adriano Belli and the Argos look to finish on a strong note Saturday

The CFL regular season consists of 18 games over four months, but you can forgive the Argos for feeling like it’s lasted a lot longer. At 3-14 and long eliminated from postseason play, Toronto wraps up the 2009 season Saturday at Rogers Centre against the league-best Montreal Alouettes.

The Alouettes, 14-3 and locked into a first round bye, will likely spend much of the afternoon with big guns such as Anthony Calvillo and Avon Cobourne stapled to the sidelines to ensure their health for when the games actually matter. Similarly, Argos coach Bart Andrus will be sending out a few fresh faces, though for different reasons — he’s holding auditions for next year.

“It’s the last game,” Andrus said after Friday’s walk-through. “It’s their last opportunity to play and make an impression. Still, we’re approaching it from the standpoint that we’re playing to win this game.”

The most notable new face in the Argos lineup will be at quarterback. After spending almost the entire season on the practice roster, Stephen Reaves will get the ball for his first career CFL start. Reaves came in in relief last Saturday in Edmonton, completing 10-of-16 pass attempts for 122 yards and a touchdown in Toronto’s 36-10 loss.

“The last few weeks everyone has been auditioning for jobs,” Reaves said Thursday. “In this league, it seems like it could be one play that could either get you back or not get you back the next year. Personally, I see it as an audition for me.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” he added. “It’s not under the circumstances everyone wants, but I’m excited and hopefully we come out with a win.”

While Reaves and the Argo offense will be looking to finish on a strong note, the Toronto defense, which enters the finale amongst CFL team leaders in several major categories, is left to lament a season of strong play left to waste. Still, that doesn’t mean they’re ready to mail it in a week early.

“It’s the same mindset as every other game,” said defensive tackle Kevin Huntley, who leads the Argos and sits sixth in the CFL with nine sacks. “We want to go in and compete and do the best we can, regardless of whether they’re going to the playoffs and we’re not. We want to end the year on a good note.”

Adriano Belli, Huntley’s partner in crime on the defensive line, echoed his sentiments.

“Tomorrow’s our Grey Cup,” Belli said after the walk-through. “We’re going to go out there and have fun.

“More than anything, we feel bad for our fans, though it hasn’t been for a lack of effort. We’re going to play our hearts out.”

The Argos and Alouettes kickoff at one Saturday.