Mark Milner

In what could be described as one of the biggest Canadian defections in recent memory, TSN SportsCentre co-hosts Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole will head south from their comfy northern confines to help launch the newly minted American sports channel, Fox 1. What does the move mean for the network? For Canadians? A lot more than you think.

It still boggles the mind to think about Lou Gehrig and his consecutive game streak. Sure, it was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. a few years back, but the 90s were a different time: Ripken played in a time of physical conditioning, specialized team doctors and better medicine. Gehrig played back when the trainer’s job was to rub players down.

Kobe Bryant injured his Achilles this weekend, that much we all know. What’s been lost in the shuffle of disappointment however, is that the actual name of the tendon that the future Hall of Fame guard tore isn’t the only similarity he and the mythological hero share. Mark Milner explains.

Remember the other recently ended NBA streak, the one not getting as much buzz? The Denver Nuggets just ripped off a 15-game win streak, which unfortunately happened to coincide with that of a certain other club’s. It’s too bad the Nuggets aren’t getting more attention: they’re one of the best teams in the tough Western Conference and they’re ripping through opponents without any superstars. They’re a team any basketball fan could love. A team you should love. Allow me to explain.

Both the Miami Heat and LeBron James have reached critical mass. James is far and away the best player in basketball right now. Forget head and shoulders, he’s waist-high above everyone else. And the Heat? They’re blowing through teams like it’s nobody’s business, winning 17 straight games and losing exactly once in the month of February. So why was ESPN putting the Blackhawks point streak in the same sentence?