Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero reacts after a double by Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz in the third inning of MLB baseball action in Toronto Tuesday, August 10, 2010.Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
It's been a GOOD week for...
Ricky Romero
First, he got rich, then, he reached double figures. The Toronto Blue Jays left-hander enjoyed an "unbelievable weekend" back in his hometown of Los Angeles, signing a five-year, $31.1-million (U.S.) contract on Saturday, followed up with a 4-1 win over the Angels a day later, his 10th victory of the season. And barring a miracle Toronto run to close out the year, Romero will likely be back in L.A. in six weeks to start enjoying his new-found wealth.
Jose Mourinho
In soccer, as in life, if you snooze you lose. So while Arsenal, Manchester United et al sweated the pennies over their interest in Mesut Oezil, the Real Madrid manager simply ran his hand down the back of a Bernabeu sofa and came up with £12.4-million ($20.2-million), which coincidentally enough was exactly the price Werder Bremen were asking for the 2010 World Cup hero. Not that Mourinho needs any encouragement, but the addition of Oezil, already christened the "German Zidane" by the Madrid press, means the Portuguese manager can happily throw down the gauntlet to Barcelona in the upcoming La Liga season.
Tomas Kaberle
The last remaining member of the Muskoka Five will be sticking around in Toronto a little longer after Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke was unable to find a willing trade partner last Sunday. Kaberle, the longest-tenured player on the roster, can now get on with his preseason preparations, while Burke admitted he was equally happy to know that the Czech blueliner was returning for another season. After all, when you have the second-worst defence in the NHL, a little continuity can't hurt, can it?
It's been a BAD week for...
Tim Tebow
Having already been subjected to a monk's haircut this preseason as part of Denver's rookie hazing rituals, it seems the Broncos quarterback will also have to practise his fair share of abstinence, too - at least as far as playing time is concerned. The former Heisman Trophy winner's designs on the No. 1 job hit a speed bump this week, after the team extended Kyle Orton's contract through the 2011 season, meaning Tebow will have to get into the, er, habit of carrying a clipboard instead of an entire team.
Francisco Rodriguez
While baseball players are no strangers to making money hand over fist, it's not often they lose it by the same method. The sub-.500 New York Mets placed their closer on the disqualified list this week, meaning they don't have to pay him, after K-Rod apparently tore a ligament in his thumb punching his girlfriend's father. The move will likely cost him about $3-million (U.S.) in salary. And while the players' union has grieved New York's actions, the resulting soap opera will likely be the only thing worth following at Citi Field this year.
Roger Federer
Things go from bad to worse for old Rog. First off, he gets shut out in the Rogers Cup final last Sunday, losing in straight sets to Andy Murray. Then, it turns out his YouTube.com sensation of knocking a bottle off a man's head with a tennis ball from 10 paces was likely achieved with the use of visual trickery. So much for being the greatest Swiss marksman since William Tell.