By Jesse Jones

Some Sunday morning randomness… some questions I have, and an answer I got.

How bad is the NL? I’ve seen Pedro Martinez, Bronson Arroyo, Derek Lowe all leave the Red Sox, go to the NL and all of a sudden they look like they are rejuvenated. Just in the past two weeks, Brad Penny and John Smoltz have only re-emphasized this.

Starts last wk. of August

Bronson Arroyo: 7IP, scattered six hits, one earned run. In fact, he’s given up just five runs total over his last five starts.

Derek Lowe: 5.2 innings allowing one run, and has given up more than three runs just once over his last 10 starts.

Pedro Martinez: Petey went seven allowing five hits and one run. He struck out nine, think that would’ve happen in the A.L.? (Minus the Royals maybe)

Brad Penny: After giving up eight runs in his last start for the Red Sox before they released him, Penny, who was worth less than that in the A.L., hooks up with Giants in the NL and looks like Cy Young himself, chucking eight innings of shutout ball.

John Smoltz: He went six innings allowing just four hits and one run. After posting a 8.33 ERA with the BoSox, he’s like Ponce De Leon after joining the N.L., giving up just one run in eleven innings during his first two starts for the Cardinals.

Onto football, or football, depending where you come from. How come dudes can basically show up the other team while delaying the game and getting partially naked in soccer, which thought of as the civilized football, while in real football, you can’t do anything after a touchdown that may hurt the feelings of the other team? Yeah, don’t spike the ball, that’s really unsportsman-like relative to taking your shirt off, running around the field like a chicken with its head cut off, while the other team waits to kickoff again in soccer.

While Greg Paulus should have thrown an airball, it is evident, the guy can play. After a solid debut as the Syracuse QB (19-31 for 167 yds), former Duke guard Greg Paulus forced a third down pass into the endzone in overtime, which was picked off. He admitted he should have thrown it away and let the field goal team put the ‘Cuse up after their first OT possession. That said, it was more like he reverted to his basketball days, and when time is winding down in hoops, you don’t get another down. Ultimately, he forced a shot which wound up being picked off by Minnesota. The Gophers hit their three-pointer, er, field goal, and ruined Paulus’ opener, winning 23-20. None-the-less, his transition was doubted by some, but clearly he can be a good QB, at least in the Big East.