Au revoir Expos.

An emotional roller coaster ride for Canadian baseball fans came to an end on Wednesday when the Expos played their final game ever in Montreal. The Expos still have one series remaining against the Mets in New York before departing to Washington, D.C.

It's fitting that the Expos will play their final game at Shea Stadium, the same venue they began their journey in 1969. It's also the stadium they clinched their only playoff berth back in 1981.

Although it's time for the Expos to move on, it's always hard to say goodbye. I couldn't help but get a little teary eyed watching the reaction of loyal fans following the final out. Yes, there were too few that went to Olympic Stadium the past decade, but you have to feel for the 9,000 that showed up every game, even when they knew the Expos' days were numbered. It's much easier to be loyal to a juggernaut like the New York Yankees than it was to the Expos the last number of years.

Now that the final chapter of the Expos has been written, here are some thoughts. Baseball failed in Washington twice. What makes anyone think the third time will be a charm in D.C., especially with the Baltimore Orioles down the road?

Will a team in Washington lead to the demise of the Orioles? Probably not, given their history and the fact that they will have the best park in baseball once Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field face the wrecking ball (actually, I put SBC Park in San Francisco ahead of Oriole Park, but I know I'm in the minority.)

Baseball is returning to Washington after 33 years. Does anyone see MLB back in Montreal in another 33 years? Will Olympic Stadium hold together that long?

The mayor of Washington D.C. suggested the team be named the Grays as a tribute to the Homestead Grays, a former Negro League team that was based in the city. Baseball has done a lot to recognize the Negro League the past decade and this would be another appropriate gesture.

Finally, if it can happen to the Expos, it can happen to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Expos once drew 2.3 million fans, but attracted fewer than 700,000 their final season in Montreal. The Blue Jays drew four million back in 1993, and haven't drawn more than two million since 1999. The Jays may have a strong owner now, but the minute Ted Rogers decides to put the team up for sale, it could spell a lot of trouble for baseball in Toronto.

Will it ever end? First the NHL, now the NLL.

The National Lacrosse League has threatened to pull the plug on the 2004-05 season because of a -- you guessed it -- labour dispute with its players.

But unlike the NHL, NLL owners have decided to go for the jugular early, considering the season isn't suppose to start until January.

This is just plain stupidity. The NLL has 10 teams that play in NHL arenas. With the NHL in lockout mode, shouldn't the NLL take advantage of this opportunity and attempt to attract disgruntled hockey fans to the game of lacrosse by starting the season in October instead of three months from now? Did the NHL lockout take the league by surprise?

Lacrosse players and owners agreed to disagree last season, and played without a collective bargaining agreement. Rather than opt for labour peace, NLL owners would rather squander a golden opportunity to grow the league.

WHA: Still waiting

Speaking of blowing an opportunity: At what point can we start ignoring the WHA? Today? Two weeks from now? Four months ago?

For a new league that was supposed to take advantage of the NHL lockout, it's doing a bang-up job. And by bang-up job, I mean mediocre.

There is talk that there could still be a season this year when new owners step to the plate. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

The time to take advantage of the lockout is now, not in January when there is a remote possibility that the NHL season can be salvaged (see above). By the time the WHA gets its act together, hockey fans will be dealing with the next collective bargaining agreement.

This league was not a bad idea. But without solid ownership, a lack of arena leases, no players, etc., how is it suppose to work?

Rison: No it's not 1994

Why the media gets a bad rap: Kudos to the sports reporter in Edmonton who felt the need to question Toronto Argonauts receiver Andre Rison about the fire set to his mansion by girlfriend Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. You would have had the inside scoop if this were 1994 and not 2004.

The fact that this story is not newsworthy is one thing. But considering Lopes was killed in a car accident two years ago makes this line of questioning completely tasteless. There is a little something called sensitivity.

Was the intent of this reporter to strike a nerve with Rison and set him off? Or did this person simply have no clue?

I'm not sure if Rogers Sportsnet was the only network to air this nonsense, but it just smells like a poor attempt by somebody to drum up ratings. Stop living in the past and give viewers some current news.

Home of the Braves: The Atlanta Braves clinched their 13th-straight divisional title last Friday, one of the most incredible runs in modern baseball.

The streak would have only been 10 seasons had MLB players not gone on strike in 1994. The Montreal Expos led the Braves by six games in the N.L. East before the season got cancelled. No championship was awarded that year.

There are two interesting facts about this run. John Smoltz is the only member of all 13 championship teams. And the Florida Marlins have one more World Series championship than the Braves during this stretch, despite playing in the same division. Florida remains the only club to have two World Series titles, but no divisional crowns. If there was ever a team that took full advantage of the wild card, it's the Marlins.

What's in a nickname? There is word that Cal Ripkin Jr. is interested in being a part of the new Washington D.C. baseball franchise.

If this is true, what's the chance of the team calling themselves the Washington Streakers?