I can not recall ever seeing Joe race, but his son Walter drove many races I attended at Pompano Park here in Florida. Wally is in the Hall of Fame, and I’m sure his father Joe is a great part of why he made it. RIP.

Joe Hennessey, the father of Hall of Fame driver Wally Hennessey, died Monday in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island at the age of 82. Mr. Hennessey was the patriarch of one of the province’s most well-known harness racing families.Mr. Hennessey drove his first winner in 1943 at Summerside Raceway, directing his father Wal’s horse Dale H to a 4-2-1 summary finish, with the 2:11 victory being the fastest on the race card that day. He went on to drive 923 winners over his career.

Via the Star-Telegram: Romo wins big again with $67.5 million deal

According to multiple sources, the Cowboys quarterback and his owner have agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension worth $67.5 million. He is guaranteed to receive a whopping $30 million in the first three years of the deal.

It is the second-richest contract in Cowboys history, trailing only the nine-year, $85.5 million contract Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman signed in 1999.

One expected that Jerry would get this done before the season was over, and it is great to have a solid QB with star potential sewn up in Big D. After about a decade of wandering in the desert, Dallas has the guy who can be the “next Aikman” (and there is clearly a long way to go yet).

As Matt Mosley said at Hashmarks:

Romo will make roughly $11.25 million per year, which isn’t bad for an undrafted quarterback out of Eastern Illinois.

Indeed.

The 2nd round draft pick from Brigham Young has his wife’s assistance in his quest to be the #1 quarterback for the Dolphins.

How diligent is John Beck? The Dolphins rookie QB has been having his wife quiz him on the playbook in bed and when they go furniture shopping.

I guess Mrs. Beck plays wide receiver.

I tuned into last night’s MNF game to see Cutler lead the Broncos down the field to tie the game with a FG as time expired. And then saw Bret Favre throw an 82 yard TD pass on the first play from scrimmage in OT. Amazing stuff.

Via the AP; Favre’s 82-yard TD stuns Broncos in OT:

Green Bay (6-1) won the coin toss and on the first play, Jennings was matched up in man-to-man coverage on the left side. Favre, who threw a 79-yard touchdown pass to James Jones in the first half, hit Jennings in stride at the Denver 40. Cornerback Dre’ Bly had no shot at catching the speedy wide receiver who trotted into the end zone as Favre rushed to celebrate Green Bay’s first 6-1 start in five years.

According to the broadcast, it is the second longest such OT TD pass to win in NFL history (tied with someone else). Tirico said that the record was 99 yards by Jaworski.

Via the AP: Bye bye A-Rod: Star opts out of contract

Alex Rodriguez and agent Scott Boras picked quite a time for their big announcement. Smack in the middle of Game 4 of the World Series, Boras ended months of speculation and said A-Rod is opting out of the final three seasons of his contract with the New York Yankees.

Oh, and Boras let the Yankees know by leaving a voice mail for general manager Brian Cashman.

The notion, however, that this means he is definitely leaving the Yankees strikes me as incorrect, however.

Will the four-time champion Annika Sorenstam be at next month’s year ending LPGA tournament? Craig Dolch at the Palm Beach Post writes-

Staging the ADT Championship at Trump International without Annika Sorenstam wouldn’t seem right.

The former world No. 1 has won the event four times and also finished second once. She also met her fiancé, Mike McGee, at the event. But because her schedule this year has been limited due to back and neck injuries, Sorenstam still hasn’t clinched a spot in the 32-player field.

She’s 12th in the second-half standings, with the top 13 in points getting in, based on top-10 finishes.

*****

That’s why Sorenstam went to Thailand this week (she’s tied for seventh entering today’s final round) and she also decided to add the Nov. 8-11 Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions in Mobile, Ala., an event she has played in only once since 1999.

This week’s high finishes by Laura Davies and Rachel Hetherington are definitely going to muddy the waters as to if Annika will play at the ADT. Both finished 2nd and 4th respectively to Annika’s 6th at the tournament in Thailand. Laura was 15th in ADT points and Rachel 16th. The points list hasn’t been updated yet, but when it does I wouldn’t be surprised if Annika becomes the golfer on the bubble(13th).

My take- I think Annika will make the ADT. Next weekend is the Mizuno Classic, a tournament Annika won five years in a row before the streak was ended last year. If the Swede doesn’t win again in Japan, I’m betting Sorenstam finishes high enough to get a boost in the points standings.

As for 2006 ADT Champion Julieta Granada.

Alas, it’s looking more doubtful Julieta Granada will get a chance to defend her title. She’s 22nd in the second-half standings.

She will need a miracle to qualify and sadly I don’t think it will happen. Maybe the ADT’s qualifying rules should be changed in the future. A spot being reserved for the defending champion. I would support such a change.

Miami plays the New York Giants this afternoon in London England. The Dolphins are coming off a humiliating loss to New England and injuries to Ronnie Brown, Renaldo Hill and Zach Thomas. The Giants and Dolphins have rarely met in the past, this only their sixth encounter ever.

Miami, London, Timbuktu. It don’t matter where the Dolphins play this year. The results won’t be affected. My prediction- New York 34, Miami 17

Via the AP: (17) Texas 28, Nebraska 25:

Jamaal Charles ran for a career-high 290 yards, 216 and three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and carried No. 17 Texas to a 28-25 win over Nebraska on Saturday, sending the Cornhuskers to their fourth straight loss.

[…]

For Texas coach Mack Brown, the win was a milestone — No. 100 with the Longhorns.

Good deal. Due to the exigencies of local coverage, ABC didn’t show the game here and while I listened to over half the game on Satellite radio (sadly, the Nebraska broadcast, as UT signed a deal with XM this season), I missed the end. I really didn’t think we were going to pull it out.

It will be raced in Singapore.

PARIS — The first night race in the 57-year history of Formula 1 Grand Prix racing is set to be held September 28 of next season on a street course in Singapore.

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s World Motorsport Council gave its approval to the proposal Thursday, according to reports. According to a press release, “With two positive lighting tests under our belt, we are on track to delivering the first night race,” Colin Syn, deputy chairman of the event, said.

The race will be staged on a 5.067-kilometer circuit set up on the streets of the island city-state at the Southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Organizers have a five-year deal to stage the event. The temporary circuit will use public roads around the Marina Bay area.

As long as no gay men have oral sex while drawing graffiti and criticizing local officials, the race should be a big success. On a serious note I predicted this race would be held at night-time

Note- Dear wife and I visited Singapore in 1998 for our 9th wedding anniversary.

The question is whether he will play against his former team tonight.

SUNRISE — When Nashville started the season with back-to-back wins while Tomas Vokoun struggled in Florida, there was talk the Panthers might have gotten the wrong goaltender from the Predators.

But time has proven the wisdom of acquiring the longtime No.’1 netminder, who will return tonight to the Sommet Center and the city in which he spent the previous eight seasons.

“When you spend so much time in one place, and then go back to play, there’s mixed feelings,” said Vokoun, who led Nashville to three straight playoff berths. “I don’t have any hard feelings, only good ones.”

Vokoun, who did voluminous charity work in Nashville, said he remains in touch with many of the hospital patients he befriended there.

Coach and General Manager Jacques Martin said he wouldn’t make a decision on whether Vokoun would play until after Friday’s game. If he does, it would be his first back-to-back appearances this season.

My take on the matter is that Martin should put Craig Anderson in goal tonight. Vokoun played last night in Florida. Tonight’s game is at Nashville. If the games were back to back at home, sure play Vokoun but it isn’t.

Martin can’t be sentimental here. Nashville fans will want to see Vokoun tonight, but the Panthers need a well rested goaltender. That is more important.