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Shanoff’s Wake-Up Call: WNBA Brawl, SEC, Phils

Jul 23, 2008, 12:34 PM UTC

Today’s Calls: WNBA vs. Brawling, Tim Tebow vs. SEC Media, Brett Favre vs. Joe Flacco, Mets vs. Jimmy Rollins and More!â†µâ†µThe Opening Pitch: Well, that’s ONE way for the WNBA to hit the radar with fans who otherwise wouldn’t care about the league.â†µ

â†µâ†µBrawl.â†µ

â†µâ†µ*A nationally televised brawl.â†µ
â†µ*At the Palace, of all places.â†µ
â†µ*Involving new WNBA poster player, Candace Parker.â†µ
â†µ*And its old poster player, Lisa Leslie.â†µ
â†µ*And a coach (Rick Mahorn) shoving a player.â†µ

â†µâ†µAnd, of course, there’s full-blown, widespread video of it.â†µ

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It instantly becomes the defining moment of the WNBA. Passionate players? Fan-friendly arena environments? Dunks? Subordinated.â†µâ†µThe good news: More people will watch the WNBA today -- albeit through video replay of the brawl on the news or YouTube -- than ever before.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe bad news is that they’re tuning in for the brawling, not the balling.â†µ

â†µâ†µCFB Media Daze: SEC. The granddaddy of CFB media days is the SEC, which -- for something not involving an actual game -- is as obsessively (if regionally) covered as anything in U.S. sports today.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe star of this year’s show in Hoover, Alabama, is -- obviously -- Tim Tebow, who takes the podium this afternoon in what should be nothing less than a circus. (Ooh: I can watch it live on my laptop?)â†µ

â†µâ†µGiven the past two seasons, the league is worth tracking if only because its champion will likely end up winning the national title. Georgia-Florida sizes up as a Game of the Year in college football.â†µPackers looking to trade Brett Favre? It is being positioned as merely exploratory -- the Ravens are rumored to have already said, “No thanks.”* I can’t believe it: The Packers look like they are going to cave on this and ship out the franchise icon to play for another team.â†µ

â†µâ†µ(* -- Please consider that the Ravens were apparently offered Brett Favre and took a pass, because they’d rather roll Joe Flacco style.)â†µ

â†µâ†µMLB Instant History: The Mets are still haunted by the Phillies. If it isn’t an epic September collapse, it’s giving up 6 runs in the 9th last night. If the Phillies (and Jimmy Rollins) wanted to make a statement about who “definitely” rules the NL East, this was a big one.â†µ

â†µâ†µMore: Yankees win 9th in a row at the Stadium. ... Don’t count out the A’s: OAK ends 6-game L streak with win at the Trop. ... Dice-K has to have the quietest 11-1 record in MLB history. ... Fantasy Stud: Rick VandenHurk (5 IP, 0 H, 7 K, 5 W), as part of a 4-pitcher 1-hitter. ... Walk-Off Watch: Jeff Keppinger. ... K-Rod Tracker: 41 saves. ... The Cubs’ run-scoring vacuum continues.â†µ

â†µâ†µMLB Trade Mania: D’backs get RP Jon Rauch from the Nats for a minor-league infielder. No word yet on either Holliday or Teixeira.â†µ

â†µâ†µToday’s NFL Camping Kick-Offs:â†µ
â†µRavens (Westminster, Md.): Flacco ready now?â†µ
â†µBrowns (Berea, Ohio): QB controversy?â†µ
â†µPatriots (Foxborough, Mass.): Ready for 16-0 II?â†µ
â†µJets (Hempstead, N.Y.): Eyeing Favre?â†µ
â†µCards (Flagstaff, Ariz.): Leinart under glare?â†µ
â†µBears (Bourbonnais, Ill.): Questions at QB, RB.â†µ
â†µLions (Allen Park, Mich.): Millen still there?â†µ
â†µSaints (Jackson, Miss./Metarie, La.): Bigger Bush role?â†µ

â†µâ†µNFL Trash-Talk: Carson Palmer has nothing to apologize for.â†µ

â†µâ†µUSA Oops: LeBron had to leave practice with an ankle sprain. Probably exactly what Cavs fans were hoping to hear.â†µ

â†µâ†µSteroids Scandal, Cont’d: Kudos to the CEO of USA Track and Field for sending a letter to President Bush strongly urging him not to pardon Marion Jones, who actually had the chutzpah to ask for one.â†µ

â†µâ†µNew urine-based test for HGH? This could be huge. HGH has long been considered the drug of choice for athletes, because it was undetectable without an invasive test -- which no union was willing to agree to. Here’s the rub: Do you really want to know how widespread HGH is? Once you go there, you ain’t coming back.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Last Word: Yes, they pay me, but I’d say this anyway: The first edition of Sporting News Today lands in e-mail boxes everywhere today. It’s a totally new way to consume your sports news and opinion. Not a subscriber? Click here.â†µ

â†µâ†µDan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com.â†µ

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