The Nightcap

Tonight's Nightcap is brought to you by Herradura Seleccion Suprema- the Heidi Fleiss Girl of tequilas. It might cost a pretty penny, but it sure does go down smooth.

-Raja Bell was just what the doctor ordered for the Phoenix Suns. I don't know if he had Mr. Miyagi (not pictured) or just a really hot nurse (pictured!) rub him down, but whoever laid their hands on him certainly had an effect. Bell flopped and hopped his way around the court for 31 minutes in what turned out to be a rout so big that even Nikoloz Tskitishvili got a few seconds of playing time. The series is now tied 2-2. Although I don't have Magic Johnson's credentials, I do have his level of insight; and can therefore tell you that whichever team is able to win two of the next three games will advance to Finals- and that's what every player dreams of.

-Roger Clemens followed yet another page in Brett Favre's playbook and managed to get a "breaking news.....um, wait a second, nevermind" release issued regarding his decision to play this year. So now the current status of Roger Clemens' career is that he still hasn't decided whether or not he will play this year, nor is there a timetable on when such a decision will be made. It's deja vu all over again.

-The Padres were six outs away from the first no-hitter in franchise history; but Chris Young threw a pitch right down the middle of the plate to lead off the 8th, and Rockies' RF Brad Hawpe lined it for a double. That ended up being the only hit of the game as Young settled down for the remainder of the 8th and Trevor Hoffman had a classic Hoffman 9th- deep fly out, deep fly out, deep fly out- to retire the side in order and preserve a one-hit, 2-0 Padres victory. (I'm pretty sure the Padres designed Petco Park to be so cavernous because they knew Trevor Hoffman would be their closer for the forseeable future.) Colorado manager Clint Hurdle summed up the game best: "It was a funny game. We were never in it but we were never out of it."

-Barry Bonds said in an interview with Jim Gray that if major league baseball were to put an asterisk by his records, "It would hurt." Presumably, it would hurt even more than say, a needle in the ass.

-Also, great move by Barry Bonds. Granting an interview to Jim Gray is a great way to assure that you aren't the most despicable man in the room at the time. Well played, Barry. Well played.

-On a somber note, rest in peace, Steve Mizerak. The billiards legend died Tuesday after complications from gall bladder surgery. The "Miz" helped popularize the game back in the 1980s, and (along with Minnesota Fats) laid the foundation for billiards to become a successful touring event. Were it not for Mizerak's charisma and cue skills twenty years ago, I may not be able to ogle Jeanette Lee today. And for that, I am forever grateful.