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Relax, Cubs fans, there's no need to panic after all, at least if you believe the company line. Carlos Zambrano finally underwent an MRI yesterday (one day after inexplicably skipping his previously scheduled exam) and the results weren't all that bad, just a touch of inflammation and rotator cuff tendinitis. He received an anti-inflammatory shot, and if all goes well, he could end up missing just one start. From Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune:

"Hopefully, by time we get to St. Louis [on Tuesday] he will throw [in the bullpen]," general manager Jim Hendry said. "If that proceeds in a positive fashion, he will be ready to start, probably by the end of the series in Houston."

"So he'll just be missing, hopefully, this one start. Obviously, he'll have to get his strength back from not pitching. Once the shot takes its proper course, he will begin throwing in St. Louis."

Is mere rest and a touch of cortisone all he needs? It's possible. After posting a 1.78 ERA in five July starts, Zambrano posted a 7.43 ERA in five August starts. On the surface, such a sudden drop in performance suggests there might something more serious going on in Big Z's arm ... if only it didn't look so familiar.

Last season, Zambrano posted a 1.39 ERA in July followed by a 7.06 ERA in August. What happened down the stretch run? Zambrano re-discovered his groove with a 3.44 ERA in six September starts. It's frustrating, but inconsistency is a hallmark of Zambrano's career, as is being an workhorse who always bounces back. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he'll be okay.

Because we only have a one game sample thus far in the 2008 NFL season, and a near two day break until there are more, we may as well analyze what we saw.

First and foremost, the Giants won that game on the sheer emotion they sported in the first quarter and a half. The last few years (think Colts over Saints and Steelers over Dolphins) the defending Super Bowl champ has been able to play their week one game in front of a rowdy home crowd, all the while being energized by the celebration of last season's Super Bowl victory. The same thing almost happened this year, as the Giants came out like gangbusters. The only difference is that the previous two kept pouring it on all game. This time, the Giants just ran out of gas by the middle of the second quarter.

Carlos Delgado opened the year slow, but in case you haven't noticed, he's been raking the ball lately. Before the All-Star break, Delgado hit just .248 with a .748 OPS. Ever since then, he's been hitting .286 with a .972 OPS. Does his revival have something to do with Jerry Manuel replacing Willie Randolph? John Harper of the New York Daily News and Mets assistant GM Tony Bernazard seem to think so:

No player seemingly has benefited more from change than Delgado. His return to form as a feared slugger, after looking ready for retirement early in the season, already had been so remarkable you couldn't help but wonder if he was somehow lacking motivation under Randolph.

[...] "Delgado is such a student of the game," said Bernazard. "If you're running a good game, he knows. When you're running a bad game, he knows."

It's an interesting theory, I suppose, and hey, everybody is entitled to an opinion. But is Delgado's resurgence even that surprising? Part of the reason his early struggles were magnified was because of his strong finish last year. When you look at the numbers, Delgado has consistently improved his OPS after the All-Star break each of the last five years. With few exceptions, it's a trend that's existed his entire career.

To ignore that trend and instead attribute Delgado's current success to Randolph's absence is both mean-spirited and ignorant. If the two developments are at all related, it's the opposite that's true: Randolph is no longer around because Delgado wasn't hitting.

To look around the MMA blogosphere, you'd think that Rashad Evans was right up there with Ken Shamrock -- a recognizable name with no chance to win being fed to the more popular fighter, in this case Chuck Liddell. On paper, it's hard to disagree. Evans is precisely the kind of fighter Liddell beats: forward-pressing wrestlers with average striking skills.

The "proof" is in that wonderful transitive property of match-ups known as MMAth, which goes a little like this: Rashad fought to an uneventful draw against Tito Ortiz. Their skill-sets are similar and, seemingly, so is their talent level. Liddell had little trouble putting away Ortiz for a second time, therefore, it stands to reason, maybe, that Liddell should possibly have no trouble potentially beating Evans. Or not.

Without question, the biggest NBA free agent debacle of this decade was Bonzi Wells' decision to reject a $37 million, five-year offer from Sacramento two summers ago. The Kings moved on, signing John Salmons to a cheaper contract. Wells moved on ... eventually. He took a two-year, $4.5 million deal with Houston. He played rarely, and was mercifully traded to New Orleans this February. He is currently chillin' on the vine, waiting for some nominal contract.

During that uncomfortable three-month interlude in 2006, Bonzi canned his agent, William Phillips. Phillips apparently no longer has any NBA clients. (Go figure.) But ... he is still in the representation business. And he's still turning everything he touches to gold, as the Sacramento Bee's Sam Amick points out:

[H]e has lost yet another high-profile client. This time, however, it wasn't his own doing. Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who has used Phillips as his representation for quite a few years, resigned today amid a cloud of controversy that just wouldn't go away.

Not a good batting average there, Mr. Phillips.

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, has some variation on the theme of processed cheese-food, cream cheese, and some sort of favoring. It's almost required that you bring something of this ilk to your tailgates. Some go with the traditional block o' velveeta with Rotel tomatoes, but that's kinda boring, isn't it? Instead, try using some fresh vegetables.

The great thing about a dip like this is that you can really do whatever you want to it. Add ingredients, subtract, whatever you want. The cheese provides a neutral enough base for you to create whatever sort of masterpiece you want... it's nearly impossible to screw up. Nearly.

Here's how ESPN has been reporting the retirement of Daunte Culpepper all day today:

Without fail, the ESPN anchor in Bristol will say that Culpepper retired and then add, "Now, to the man who broke the story, ESPN.com's John Clayton."

Except that Clayton didn't "break the story" at all.

Manu Ginobili got his wheel fixed this morning -- "successful operation!" says Dr. Richard Ferkel -- but the real news is removed from the here and now. Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports Manu had been in extension talks with the Spurs prior to the Olympics. Because of the injury, San Antonio has suspended negotiations until the team sees how Manu recovers from surgery.

Here's the quote from Ginobili's agent Herb Rudoy:

"Contract negotiations for an extension have been put off until after the surgery," Rudoy said. "The Spurs want to see how he recovers from the surgery."

Two questions, the first semantic: when exactly is after the surgery? Because, um, technically right now can be considered "after the surgery." Tomorrow, also. But if the Spurs are waiting to see how Manu recovers, that will have to wait until he's playing again. And that will be November, maybe December. And in the NBA, you don't negotiate contract extensions during the season. If it's not done by the end of October, it waits until next summer. An extension could still be plausible then ... if the Spurs -- and Manu -- have a great season.

The other point of concern: Manu's 30, with a surgically-repaired ankle and a growing bald spot. Is there a chance San Antonio lets Ginobili "get away" in two summers? Tim Duncan pulls cash through 2012, but the Spurs have to start actively rebuilding at some point as the league's oldest team for three years reigning. Extending Manu until 2013 or '14? Seems a bit crazy right now.

Alrighty, people, it's go time.

The 2008 season kicks off tonight and the Washington Redskins are hoping to score more points before John McCain's speech than the previous two weeks combined. The New York Giants just signed Plaxico Burress to a shiny, new deal, and Jerome McDougle will be reprising the role of Osi Umenyiora. Oh, and in case you missed it: John Madden still can't quit Brett Favre.

Okay, we're gonna live-blog like it's 1999 -- Ocho Cinco for everybody!

It's good news for the Redskins and bad news for Eli Manning: Washington defensive end Jason Taylor will play tonight against the New York Giants, despite a knee injury that the team feared could keep him sidelined for his debut in burgundy and gold.

Taylor told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio that the knee has felt better, but that he's good enough to go tonight. He's expected to start and get plenty of playing time, but he'll probably come out in obvious run situations.

The 34-year-old Taylor is entering his 12th NFL season and his first on a team other than the Dolphins, who traded him to Washington at the start of training camp. He had 11 sacks last season.