Opening salvos

Consider this our Hoffarth Blog Mission Statement

1. If we don't have anything to foam at the mouth about, we're not going to fake it. And it's only sports related. No bitching about customer service at Best Buy, or why the lines at Jack In The Box are so slow.
2. If we come across something that's too newsworthy to wait until the weekend, you'll read it here first (then it may be recycled).
3. If someone else is doing a better job at reporting on something, we'll pass on the info.
4. We've got some standards (I know, that's hard to believe when it comes to Internet-related garbage). No emotion icons. No shorthand abbreviations. We're not here to look cool.

First off:
We talked a couple weeks ago to Pete Williams, author of the book "The Draft: A Year Inside the NFL's Search for Talent" (more infor: www.petewilliams.net).He thought the next step for the NFL and its NFL Network would try to buy up more college football programming, seeing as how people can't get enough draft info in the months before this ridiculous exercise takes place each year on ESPN (and now the NFL Network). That week, the NFL had announced it bought the rights to televise the Senior Bowl all-star game. Monday, the NFL Network took it a step further: It now owns the Insight Bowl, from Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., that pits a Big XII school against one from the Big Ten (actually, 11, but who's counting) -- it's a BIG game.(Although, last year, it was the Pac-10's ASU, playing a home game, and beating up on Rutgers, 45-40). I asked Pete again about his insight into this situation, and he replied: "(It's) another step toward creating an official draft season. ... Should also help all of those third-tier bowls that are forever looking for sponsors."

Second:
We had a note in Saturday's "It's Out of the Question" column that read:
"Does Michelle Wie finally making the cut at a men's event (albeit one that no real man is even competing in) mean she'll finally give this whole thing a rest?"
One reader (i'll protect his identity) was so bent about that note -- the fact he made it that far into the column is to be congratulated, thought -- he wrote an email back to the Daily News higher-ups threatning to cancel his subscription if I didn't explain by Tuesday what I meant by that.
Exortion? Hmmmm.
From where he was coming from, I was making an "obscenely racist monstrosity of a comment" because I wasn't clear about what I meant by that. "What exactly does that mean...that there are only newly-male transsexuals playing in the tournament? Or, as seems clear - but maybe I am missing something -- that there are no 'real men' in South Korea much less golfers where the tournament is being played?"
I wrote back to him -- even beating the Tuesday deadline by a few precious hours -- with this brief explanation:
"My use of the phrase "real men" was more about the quality of the
field than anything else that you may have read into it. it was nothing close to a pga event, which would have been much more difficult thing for michelle wie to make the cut, as she has shown. So by her entering a men's event that really has little if any world-ranked competitors, it was a much more watered down achievement on her part, but now that she's done it, my point was, fine, now
get over it. it's not a novelty anymore. ... there are many men's "pro" tours around this country and the world. i would
have written the same thing if she had entered a Nike Tour event (or
whatever they're calling it these days, the Spanos Tour, I believe).
hope that explains better my intent, and i appreciate the fact you
took the time to ask about it. i will always try to choose my words carefully as to not have them be misinterpreted beyond their intent."
That goes for anyone else who didn't get it the first time.

Third:
The City of Anaheim actually took the time to email this announcement out today:
ANAHEIM, Calif. – (May 8, 2006) – As the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim meet the Colorado Avalanche in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper have decided to place a friendly wager on the series’ outcome. If Anaheim wins the National Hockey League’s Western Conference semifinal playoffs, Mayor Hickenlooper will send 10 pounds of buffalo burgers, a case of world famous Rocky Ford Melons and beer. If Denver wins the best-of-seven series, Mayor Pringle will send a crate of California oranges, a case of Anaheim Chile peppers and a bottle of California wine to Mayor Hickenlooper.
“I expect this to be an exciting series, but in the end, I anticipate the Ducks will continue to play strong hockey and push back the Avalanche as we move another step closer to the Stanley Cup," Pringle said.
“We look forward to getting the Ducks on our home turf,‿ Hickenlooper said. “Between the energy of our fans and the strength of our team, the Ducks will inevitably become a distant memory on Colorado’s journey to the Stanley Cup.‿
Good thing Pringle hit Hickenlooper with this as the Ducks are already up 2-0 in the series and the Avs have yet to get a sniff of a goal. It's only surprising that Pringle didn't include the clause: And the Denver NHL team shall have to take the name: Colorado Avalanche of Anaheim.

Finally (for today):
If anyone has a "Hallway Series" T-shirt, let me know, I may actually buy one off you before you donate 'em to the Salvation Army.