News item: The New England Patriots ran out of patience with superstar receiver Randy Moss this week and traded him to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2011 third-round draft choice.
My take: Obviously, there's a short-term benefit for the Ravens, since they play in New England next week, but the Patriots continue to amass early round picks in anticipation of a big assault on the 2011 draft.
News item: T.J. Houshmandzadeh continues to express doubts about his role in the Ravens' offense even after he caught the winning touchdown on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
My take: I can't decide whether the guy is refreshingly honest or unbelievably selfish, but I'm pretty sure we're going to figure it out in the next couple of weeks.
News item: The postseason is barely underway and there have been enough questionable umpiring calls to super-charge the debate over expanded video replay in baseball.
My take: I'm still against it. Bad calls have always been part of the theater of the sport, which already has little enough drama for today's younger fans. Making it more robotic is going to hurt more than it helps.
News item: Roy Halladay drew comparisons with Don Larsen when he pitched a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of the Division Series on Wednesday night.
My take: There really is no comparison. Halladay has long been one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball. Larsen had that great shining moment in the 1956 World Series, but he was a workmanlike pitcher who finished his career 10 games under .500.
News item: The St. Louis Cardinals announced Wednesday that they had exercised their 2011 contract option on superstar first baseman Albert Pujols.
My take: That's a disappointment. I already had him penciled into the No. 4 hole for the Orioles.
News item: In Week 5 of the NFL season, the unheralded Kansas City Chiefs are the only remaining undefeated team.
My take: Since I grew up a Chiefs fan, I should be in hog heaven, but I'm not going to risk a skinned knee jumping on this bandwagon. If they upset the Colts, it might be a different story.
News item: Long-time sportscaster Brent Musburger raised some eyebrows when he told a college class recently that steroids are effective in enhancing athletic performance and questioned whether journalists have been objective enough in analyzing the negative health implications of steroid use in professional sports.
My take: I don't think there's any question that steroids work and I'm sure there are some journalists out there — me included — who assume that they post serious health risks without having all the scientific data necessary to back that up, but that's where we're going to have to part company. Even if you could prove to me that steroid use won't make Mark McGwire grow a third arm in 25 years, I would still think that level of artificial enhancement should remain illegal, if only because it compels other athletes to follow suit if they want to remain on the same competitive level as the dopers.
News item: The soon-to-be ex-wife of Roberto Alomar reportedly has charged in a divorce filing that he had unprotected sex with her while knowingly infected with HIV. This is the same wife who staunchly defended him after a former girlfriend filed a lawsuit against Alomar containing the same charge.
My take: Alomar's private life has been the subject of speculation for years. If this sheds any light on it, you'd be better off covering your eyes.
News item: The New York Yankees are up two games on the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays are hitting the road down two games to the Texas Rangers in the best-of-five divisional round of the baseball postseason.
My take: Looks like we won't have to wait much longer to resume complaining about the economic disparity between the large and small market teams. That's always fun this time of year.
News item: The Premier League has approved the takeover of Liverpool FC by John Henry and the ownership group that runs the Boston Red Sox.
My take: Now, if the struggling soccer franchise doesn't win its next title until 2096, at least it will have an excuse.
peter.schmuck@baltsun.com
Listen to Peter Schmuck on WBAL (1090 AM) at noon Fridays and Saturdays and at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays with Brett Hollander. Also, check out his blog, "The Schmuck Stops Here," at baltimoresun.com/schmuckblog.
