Today is a weird day, and one we feared when we started doing daily shows. When we don’t have a big guest and there isn’t much to talk about in sports, what do we do?

We learned today that there is always something to talk about in sports. First, we discuss the reported transfer of Kaka from AC Milan to Real Madrid. The estimated price tag for this move is 68m euros or more than 94 million bucks. And that’s just for the rights from one team to the next. That doesn’t include paying the actual player.

We shift the conversation to wonder if that would ever happen in America. Politicians talk about a free market, but what if the market was truly free? And while unions have collectively bargained with leagues on what a player can and cannot be traded for, does a European team have to play by those rules as well? It happens with MLS players leaving to play overseas. It happened when David Beckham came to LA. It also happened when baseball, most recently Daisuke Matsuzaka, albeit in a closed bid process. When will a star player in a  top-tier sport leave America to play overseas?

T

he NBA seems like the most likely candidate for defections. It’s already started with a few of the lesser-known players going to Europe. Now high school kids are skipping college to play there, even if for one year. What happens if someone offers LeBron James $80 million per season to play in Europe or China? And with the current state of the NBA’s economy, who is to say the top American players won’t end up overseas soon to make more money anyway. The top soccer players in the world, including Kaka and Ronaldinho, are from Brazil and other South American countries but leave to play in the top leagues in Europe. Will there come a time when the top Americans play elsewhere for more money and fame?

Staying on soccer, we talk about the Philadelphia Union. Much overdue, I know. Is there real excitement in the town for the new MLS product? Will soccer be embraced by Philly? They’ve done things right so far, including a new stadium being built and season tickets that are very reasonable.

Speculation Station:

We discuss the Stephen Strasburg phenomenon. Is he the greatest player in the history of sports? Can he save the Natinals as well as baseball and the global economic crisis? Can he start tomorrow?

We debate the notion of can’t miss prospects and wonder if this kid is so good, why the Gnats would want to pitch him this year. Shut him down for next year. Your team stinks already. Why waste the kid now? Oh, and first, the Gnats have to sign him, which won’t be an easy task. He’ll be asking....Scott Boras will be asking, we should say....for more money than any player ever. Will the Gnats pay him? Will he ever be worth all the hype?

We briefly touch on a post at Midwest Sports Fans about Raul Ibanez. Why are they talking about Raul Ibanez? Fantasy baseball, of course. But it’s a good breakdown of Ibanez’s numbers this year trying to figure out where this new power is coming from at age 37. Perhaps juice? Nick has some thoughts on why he doesn’t suspect Ibanez. I suspect everyone at this point.

Tech Talk:

Yeah the new iPhone was announced. But we care about Twitter here! Specifically the . Kid Poker does a great job with his updates and is doing live tweets of his own tournaments. While he’s playing. I didn’t even know cell phones were allowed on the floor. It’s pretty amazing, and with how good he’s been playing (four cashes in five tournaments), he’s been tweeting up until 6am eastern time. It’s can’t miss stuff for poker fans.

Now, Negreanu is playing in the World Series of Poker. It’s, in essence, the national championship of his sport/game/whatever. Anyone can enter many different tournaments as long as they have the money. A true Open Championship.

Tiger Woods was practicing at Bethpage yesterday for the upcoming US Open. Another true Open Championship. Anyone can try to qualify for the Open (Tony Romo even tried). If you’re good enough, you can make the field. Now it’s not like poker where all you have to do is pay. You have to make a series of cuts which makes it very difficult for the amateur players to make it into the main field (maybe WSOP should use this method to allow pros to advance more in the Main Event.)

We ask you....what is your favorite National Championship. Nick thinks his is still March Madness (stands to reason that none of us will ever qualify for the US Open or pay $10k to play a poker tournament, so really we’re just watching on TV anyway). For me, it’s the US Open. People think of golf as an uppity, elitist sport. But the US Open is gritty. It’s tough. It’s public, especially when it’s played on public courses. And everyone can try.

Housekeeping:

Go sign up for Blogs with Balls. It’s coming this weekend. Don’t be that guy who says they’ll go then never signs up. Just do it, now. And listen tomorrow as my old friend -- and comedy writer -- Simmy Kay joins the show to talk about his new project on MTV called Silent Library. Think of it as Jackass for money, in a library, with no talking. Yep.

Link to this:

| | | | | |