Hey sports fans, are you ready to go?  Buckle up as I put the peddle to the metal for the all new SCL’s Fresh Take, a whole new twist on sports for you, the fan.

Fight night at The Stadium!  What about the brawl in the Bronx between the Yanks and the Jays.  I can not believe Jorge Posada would take a cheap shot at a guy and jeopardize getting hurt or being suspended because of a brush back pitch.  Hey Jorge, you are a veteran and should know better.  You know how the game is played and since your guys hit 2 of theirs, you should have expected some retaliation and in my view YOU got off light with a pitch behind you instead of one in your ear.  This is one reason why I don’t think the Yanks will win it all this year although they have the best record in baseball.  Some people have “IT” and some people don’t.  Paul O’Neil would have NEVER done what Jorge did.

Did you get a load of the hefty fines handed down for Injury-Gate?  The NFL dished out $125K in penalties to the NY Jets, GM Mike Tannenbaum and Head Coach Eric Mangenius for not properly disclosing Brett Favre’s elbow injury last year.  That is a lot of jack as Commissioner Goodell has become no stranger to taking rules violators to the woodshed for anything remotely detrimental to the NFL.  The hammer has come down and it has come down HARD.

Now, are you ready for Saturday’s BIG match up between Tennessee and Florida?  Oh, did you get confused how I used the term BIG?  I bet you did.  This used to be one of the premier early season college football match ups back in the day, but since Urban took over in Gainesville, the VOLS have come up on the short end while giving up a 60 spot in the last 2 contest.  New head coach Lane Kiffin promised back in the Spring that the “Pride of the Southland” band would be playing Rocky Top all day long in The Swamp come September.  You got to love Kiffin’s brashness, but comparing the 2 teams on paper and considering their performances last week, The VOLS need to mail-in this loss and just try to get ready for their next game.  Kiffin and company have proven they can recruit in their short time in Knoxville which will lead to them closing the talent gap sooner rather than later.  Good luck Lane but instead of “Spahn and Sain and Pray for Rain” you should be saying “My name is Lane and I’m praying for rain.”

The 2 aforementioned college football coaches are rising or shinning stars in their towns, conferences and in the nation while the once mighty boys from Columbus and South Bend seem to be on the hot seat with growing descent amongst their fan base.  Tressell’s squads have dropped 6 straight match ups to top tier teams with some of those early 6 contest being lopsided blowouts.  Jimmy T is way too conservative in his play calling and takes the approach of let the other guy crack before you.  This works well in the Big 10 or 11 (Can those people really not count?) but amongst the big boys, chalk up another L for the Buckeyes.  As for the South Bend variable in this equation, the ole flat top coach reminds me more of Sgt. Vince Carter from Gomer Pyle than a top tier college football coach.  Wies can coach the X’s and O’s but can not recruit while Tressell can recruit but can not coach the X’s and O’s.  Did someone say RC Slocum?

Lastly, an MLB ICON is contemplating retirement.  Bobby Cox, the Atlanta Braves long time manager responded to a reporter’s question concerning his return in 2010 as “We’ll see.”  WOW!  Cox led the Braves on one of the greatest stretches in team dominance ever in the history of America’s past time as well as any team sport.  The Bravos won division titles in 15 consecutive years from 1991 to 2005.  Not a bad resume’ Robert.

And that, my friends is what is HOT in sports.  Join us again tomorrow for SCL’s Fresh Take.