• Does anyone remember when Florida Gator scout-teamer Michael Guilford was killed in a motorcycle accident back in October?  Well, the story gets stranger and more uncomfortable with this report from the Gainesville Sun:

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080509/NEWS/815495009/0/sports

Ashley Slonina was Guilford's passenger that day; she was killed as well.  Now, it turns out that one of her credit cards has been in use for the past six months since she's been dead.  The person who's been using the card is Jamar Hornsby, a back-up defensive back for the Gators.  Slonina was also dating Gators' cornerback Joe Haden.  Something funky has been going on and people need to go to jail.

• Really, what is Mike D'Antoni going to do with Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph?

• Best pitchers in Major League Baseball right now (in no particular order):

Cliff Lee
Zack Greinke
Brandon Webb
Scott Olsen
Jake Peavy
Tim Lincecum
Erik Bedard
Edinson Volquez
Johan Santana
Roy Halladay

Not sure what to make of Lee's absurd start to the season; Volquez is walking too many guys; Santana keeps giving up homers...

But there are two guys on that list that should instantly jump out: Scott Olsen and Zack Greinke.  Olsen has been the Marlins best pitcher since Josh Beckett in 2003 (when he was hurt) -- just remarkable.  Greinke has refined his emotions and is dominating.  But the real relationship between these two? They're both pitching exactly as they should, exactly as their talents indicate.

• ESPN.com's Pat Forde makes a great point in his latest column following the Kentucky Derby. To paraphrase: It's difficult for the average fan (or person, for that matter) to get excited about a sport in which an animal's death is a very real possibility. We saw it (barely) in the Derby this past weekend: Eight Belles, the lone filly in the race, shattered both of her ankles after crossing the finish line and was then killed right on the spot. I understand that these horses are treated like kings (and queens) and are cared for as well as any human could ever wish, but aren't we at the point that "putting a small human on the back of an animal and whipping that animal until it runs as fast as possible" is just not acceptable anymore? You know those groups that are forcing colleges and universities to drop their Native American mascot names, even though the Native American groups are backing the colleges and universities? Yeah, those groups should put all of their time and effort into stopping people from whipping horses.

• I hope that everyone saw that Chicago Bears' RB Cedric Benson was pepper-sprayed, arrested and charged with -- among other things -- "boating while intoxicated." Let's be honest: If you're going to go down, "boating while intoxicated" has to be one of the best ways to go. That, or impersonating Donald Trump -- that would probably be pretty funny. Or maybe being a crooked strip club owner -- I bet that could be rewarding for the right guy. Or what about nude sky-diving without a license? That's probably pretty ridiculous.

• Congratulations to Hanley Ramirez for finally smacking the ball around the park after being dropped to the three-hole in the line-up (he went 2-for-3 with 2 runs and 2 walks on Sunday against the Padres), but he's still just 3-for-11 out of the lead-off spot. The theory behind the move makes sense: Hanley looks like a three-hole hitter, he has oodles of power, the Marlins need power in the middle of the line-up with Josh Willingham on the DL, etc. But the numbers bear out something different. Quite simply, Hanley is a better hitter in the lead-off spot than anywhere else in the line-up. Here are his relevant numbers as a lead-off man and in the 3rd spot in the line-up from 2007:

All of Hanley's numbers are better as a lead-off man than as a #3 hitter. All of them! And it's really not even close! I can't use enough exclamation points here! If the point here is to keep scoring runs while Willingham is out of the lineup, then let your best hitter hit where he hits the best. And while we're assuming that Hanley is the best hitter in the Marlins line-up (which he is), shouldn't the best hitter get the most at-bats over the course of the season? Of course! So then explain dropping him in the line-up after digesting this: In 2007, Marlin lead-off hitters accumulated 46 more plate-appearances and 49 more at-bats than their #3 hitters did. Give the best hitter the most at-bats over the course of the season!

And the worst part of all of this? Alfredo Amezaga is the guy replacing Hanley at the top of the line-up! A guy with a .337 lead-off on-base percentage last season! The same guy who has a .316 on-base percentage for his career! The same guy who has a lead-off OB% of .200 this season and a .334 OB% as a lead-off man over the past three seasons (2005-2007).

Shocking. Confusing. Horrible. Upsetting.

Email Mike at mgoldstein@espn760.com

The New York Giants ended up saving what's actually an outrageously impressive streak.  At pick number-31, the final selection of the first round, the Giants picked University of Miami safety Kenny Phillips -- making it 14 straight years in which at least one 'Cane was taken in the first round.

Thoughts from head coach Randy Shannon:

“We’re very excited for Kenny (Phillips) and his family. Kenny is a fine football player and we know he will have a great career in the NFL. We wish him the best. ... This streak continues to be a great honor for the University of Miami especially since we set the bar high. We've had good players come through the university. To have players drafted in the first round says a lot for our program. We pride ourselves on being the best we can be on and off the field, and this is another example of that."

Now, the list (according to the University of Miami sports information department).  Take a look at this thing... it's nuts:

Player-Position                   Year    No.      Team
Kenny Phillips-FS                 2008   31        N.Y. Giants
Brandon Meriweather-FS    2007   24        New England
Jon Beason-LB                     2007   25        Carolina
Greg Olsen-TE                      2007   31        Chicago
Jennings, Kelly-CB               2006   31        Seattle
Rolle, Antrel-CB                    2005   8          Arizona
Taylor, Sean-FS                    2004   5          Washington
Winslow, Kellen-TE               2004   6          Cleveland
Vilma, Jonathan                    2004   12        N.Y. Jets
Williams, D.J.-LB                  2004   17        Denver
Carey, Vernon-OL                 2004   19        Miami
Wilfork, Vince-DT                  2004   21        New England
Johnson, Andre-WR             2003   3          Houston Texans
McDougle, Jerome-DL         2003   15        Philadelphia
McGahee, Willis-RB             2003   23        Buffalo
Joseph, William-DT              2003   25        N.Y. Giants
McKinnie, Bryant-OL            2002   7          Minnesota
Shockey, Jeremy-TE            2002   14        N.Y. Giants
Buchanon, Phillip-CB           2002   17        Oakland
Reed, Edward-S                   2002   24        Baltimore
Rumph, Mike-CB                  2002   27        San Francisco
Morgan, Dan-LB                   2001   11        Carolina
Lewis, Damione-DT             2001   12        St. Louis Rams
Moss, Santana-WR              2001   16        New York
Wayne, Reggie-WR              2001   30        Indianapolis
Franks, Bubba-TE                2000   14        Green Bay
James, Edgerrin-RB             1999   4          Indianapolis
Starks, Duane-CB                1998   10        Baltimore
Green, Yatil-WR                    1997   15        Miami
Lang, Kenard-DE                  1997   17        Washington
Holmes, Kenny-DE               1997   18        Tennessee
Lewis, Ray-LB                       1996   26        Baltimore
Sapp, Warren-DT                 1995   12        Tampa Bay

Searcy, Leon -OL                   1992   11        Pittsburgh
Williams, Darryl-DB              1992   28        Cincinnati
Maryland, Russell-DT           1991   1          Dallas
Hill, Randal-WR                     1991   23        Miami
Kennedy, Cortez-DT             1990   3          Seattle
Hawkins, Bill-DE                   1989   21        L.A. Rams
Gary, Cleveland-RB              1989   26        L.A. Rams
Walsh, Steve-QB                  1989   1*        Dallas
Blades, Bennie-DB               1988   3          Detroit
Irvin, Michael-WR                  1988   11        Dallas
Testaverde, Vinny-QB          1987   1          Tampa Bay
Highsmith, Alonzo-RB          1987   3          Houston
Brown, Jerome-DT               1987   9          Philadelphia
Brown, Eddie-WR                 1985   13        Cincinnati
Kosar, Bernie-QB                 1984   1*        Cleveland
Kelly, Jim-QB                         1983   14        Buffalo
Williams, Lester-DT              1982   27        New England
Anderson, Ottis-RB               1979   8          St. Louis
Smith, Don-DE                      1979   17        Atlanta
Latimer, Don-DT                   1978   27        Denver
Edwards, Eddie-DT              1977   3          Cincinnati
Harrah, Dennis-OL                1975   11        L.A. Rams
Foreman, Chuck-RB             1973   12        Minnesota
Owens, Burgess-DB             1973   13        N.Y. Jets
Trosch, Gene-DT                  1967   24        Kansas City
Bosseler, Don-B                   1957   1          Washington
Losch, Jack-B                       1956   1          Green Bay
Dooley, Jim-B                        1952   1          Chicago

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up in today's NFL Draft from #26 to #8 to select the guy who's fluctuated as much (if not more than) anyone in this draft: Florida Gator Derrick Harvey.  Here's the initial reaction from his head coach, Urban Meyer:

"I’m proud and happy for Derrick Harvey. Not only is he a great player but a great person who comes from a tremendous family. Derrick has always done things the right way both on and off the field and it has paid off for him today. Derrick is joining a terrific organization. I have been fortunate to develop a relationship with Coach Jack Del Rio and he is first class. He goes about his business the right way. I always admire coaches and organizations who are hands on when it comes to the draft and learning all they can about the player they are drafting. I talked to Coach Del Rio a number of times and most of the conversations were not about football. He wanted to know what kind of person Derrick was. That says a lot about how they run the organization. He does things the right way and so does Derrick. They are a good fit and I'm excited about having him play professionally right around the corner."

My Hockey Friend is back with more playoff picks after his first round debacle (picking just 3 of 8 winners, a .375 win-percentage!).  Just as a disclaimer, My Hockey Friend (a Bruins fan) offers picks and nothing else, no explanations or lengthy break-downs because, as he says, "I'm too deflated from the Bruins series to do explanations. So take the games and be happy."  How 'bout that enthusiasm!  Here are the picks:

EAST ROUND TWO

Montreal over Philly in 5 games
Pittsburgh over NY Rangers in 7 games

WEST ROUND TWO

Colorado over Detroit in 7 games
San Jose over Dallas in 6 games

---------------

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Pittsburgh over Montreal in 7 games

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

San Jose over Colorado in 7 games

---------------

STANLEY CUP FINALS

Pittsburgh over San Jose in 6 games

Email Mike at mgoldstein@espn760.com. Got beef with Mike's Hockey Friend? Email Mike and he'll pass it along, or sign up and post a comment below.

Prince Fielder is a vegetarian. Somehow, he hit two homers yesterday.  He must be back on the meat.

And by "meat" I mean "HGH."