On the ropes

N.Y. and Boston: a 'grudging' respect?

Both Joe Torre and Conan O'Brien traveled a long way - across the country - to find themselves talking recently on O'Brien's new Burbank, Calif., set for "The Tonight Show."

O'Brien: "We have both made this crazy transition in our lives."

Torre: "Weird, isn't it?"

O'Brien, a lifelong die-hard Boston Red Sox fan, told Torre, "Red Sox fans will trash any of the Yankees, any of them - with, I think, two exceptions: you and Derek Jeter. They have a respect for both of you guys. It's a grudging, and I repeat grudging, respect for your managerial skills."

Torre said, "I love the city of Boston" but also noted that he doesn't "know what happens to the people, whether they jab them in the rear end with a needle or something because they get nasty."

Music to nobody's ears

NFL offensive linemen bang heads all the time. A trio of Dallas Cowboys linemen are now professional head-bangers, too.

Leonard Davis, Marc Colombo and Cory Procter have signed a recording contract as part of a heavy metal band called Free Reign. Their debut album for Australia's Riot Entertainment will be released this fall.

Considering all three players weigh more than 300 pounds, it only makes sense they are being referred to as "heavier than metal."

The Naturals

"Best name in baseball belongs to A's pitcher Josh Outman," wrote Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun. "Lucas Bloodoff owns a similar title amongst hockey players."

Crouch potato

The Astros' Ivan Rodriguez surpassed Carlton Fisk's major-league record for games as a catcher when he caught his 2,227th career game Wednesday night.

Or as catchers like to call such watershed moments: squatters' rites.

Two bits' worth

Among those with "cheerleader" on their school résumés: prominent Republicans Dwight Eisenhower, George W. Bush and Trent Lott.

Just a guess here, but their favorite cheer probably wasn't "Lean to the left."

Favre's offseason workout

Rumor has it that Brett Favre already has signed with the Minnesota Vikings, but is delaying releasing the news to the public. The report leaves out some details. The truth is Favre signed, then retired, then came back, then retired again and then signed again. But that's incomplete, too, since it addressed only what he did last weekend.

A winning proposition

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa won his 2,500th game last week, joining Connie Mack and John McGraw as the only managers in history with 2,500 wins. In order to reach Mack's record 3,831 wins, LaRussa will need some performance-enhancers, also known as more games against the Nationals.

John Daly's trespasses

Guess he should stick to golf carts.

John Daly, at the wheel of his bus, sheared the top off when he drove it into the Bankhead Tunnel in Mobile, Ala.

"The sign said 'No trucks, cargo or hazardous material in the right lane,'" Daly told the Mobile Press-Register. "I'm reading the sign and don't see the [clearance] footage. I'm thinking I've got to go to the left lane, and before I know it, the roof is torn out."

Though unconfirmed reports say instincts just took over when Daly heard a passer-by yell, "In the hole!"

You roll, girl

In case you missed it, the Manic Attackers captured the Windy City Rollers roller derby league championship last week.

Well, no wonder, wrote the Chicago Sun-Times' Elliott Harris - what with a roster loaded with the likes of Val Capone, Beth Amphetamine, Malice With Chains and Ruth Enasia.

Mouthing off

Janice Hough of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com, on the College World Series: "An unmatched display of American amateur baseball talent - at least until when the Washington Nationals play the Baltimore Orioles."

Tiger Woods, to The New York Times, when asked about the prospects of someone playing both the men's and women's U.S. Opens at Pinehurst in 2014: "I need to have a sex change. Is that what you're saying?"

Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times, after Angels pitcher John Lackey broke an 0-for-7 slump with his first big-league hit: "Not 0 for 7 at-bats, 0 for 7 years." - From Wire Reports