News item: Kentucky Derby winnerAnimal Kingdom and Preakness winnerShackleford will try to break their Triple Crown tie on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes.
My take: If it were a match race, I'd go with Kingdom based on the way the first two races played out, but I'm guessing somebody will come out of nowhere to steal the 1 ½-mile Belmont. And since it doesn't cost me a dime to make a wild prediction, I'll go with our old friend Edgar Prado on 15-1 shot Prime Cut. Thank me later.
News item: New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi expressed dismay on Tuesday night after Boston slugger David Ortiz celebrated a big home run with a theatrical bat flip during the Red Sox' 6-4 victory at Yankee Stadium.
My take: Give me a break. If you've got Nick Swisher on your team, there ought to be a rule that prohibits you from commenting on anybody else's on-field antics.
Bonus take: Still, it was a pretty good week for the New York tabloids, which had the Weiner controversy on the front page for several days and the whiner controversy on the back.
News item: Orioles top draft choice Dylan Bundy said on "The Norris and Davis Show" (105.7 FM) this week that he would bean cocky Washington Nationals prospect Bryce Harper "all four times" if he ever blew a kiss toward the mound after hitting a home run.
My take: So, for those of you who wish there was more of a regional rivalry between the Orioles and Nationals, mark your calendar for 2013.
News item: Miami Heat superstar LeBron James has scored a total of 11 points in the fourth quarter through the first five games of the NBA Finals, or about one field goal per game.
My take: This certainly isn't helping with the Michael Jordan comparisons, but he still has a couple of home games to brush up his postseason legacy. In the meantime, maybe he can get Dirk Nowitzki deported or something.
News item: Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor has announced that he will not play his senior season with the Buckeyes and already has turned down an offer from the Canadian Football League. He hopes to be considered for a supplemental NFL draft in July.
My take: There's a lot of speculation that he might end up playing in the UFL for a season, which would give him a chance to hone his passing skills with one of the well-regarded former NFL coaches in that league. That's probably his best option if he wants to stay at the quarterback position.
News item: The Oakland Athletics fired manager Bob Geren on the day after the Orioles completed a three-game sweep over the A's at Camden Yards. He'll be replaced by former Orioles catcher Bob Melvin.
My take: Capping a nine-game losing streak with three straight losses to a last-place team probably didn't help, but the reasons for Geren's removal go a lot deeper than that. His status was in question well before the A's went into their current tailspin.
News item: The NFL labor negotiations appear to be heating up, with representatives of the owners and the players meeting at least twice this week and expected to resume talks soon.
My take: Don't get too excited. Both sides are required by federal labor law to bargain "in good faith," so that fact that they are showing up at the behest of a federal mediator is not a sign of any progress. It would be great if they would honor the spirit of the Taft-Hartley Act and work hard toward a real compromise, but history says this thing won't be settled until people start losing money.
News item: Receiver Plaxico Burress has been released from prison on parole and will be eligible to sign with an NFL team as soon as the sport's labor dispute is resolved.
My take: I suppose you could make a case for the Ravens making a run at him, but put your money on the Jets. Rex Ryan is probably tweeting inappropriate photos to him right now. I hear that's a New York thing.
News item: Hawaii governor Neil Abercrombie recently blasted the NFL and said that his financially burdened state should not spend $4 million per year for the right to host the Pro Bowl. He characterized the current two-year deal as a bribe paid to millionaires and billionaires for a "scrimmage" and that the money would be better spent on childhood education.
My take: If you can come up with a decent counter argument, please write. I've got nothing.
Listen to Peter Schmuck on "The Week in Review" on Friday's at noon on WBAL (1090AM) and WBAL.com.
