Who's Hot Who's Not

WHO'S Hot

Chris Bosh
What did the Raptor do for an encore after dropping in 40 points to beat the Knicks? He scored 38 while playing 55 of 58 minutes in Toronto's double-OT win over Portland. Bosh's no-nonsense philosophy for a tough game: "You have to step up, knock down big shots and get big rebounds."

Chris Osgood
Nice week for the NHL's most underappreciated goalie: The Red Wings signed the 35-year-old to a three-year, $4.25 million extension; he tied Rogie Vachon for 15th on the alltime wins list; and he was selected for the All-Star Game. No surprise—the guy was 19-2-2.

UNC Hoops
The Tar Heels look like No. 1 (17--0); they sound like No. 1 ("We are doggone good," says coach Roy Williams); and, yes, they are No. 1. They've feasted mostly on cupcakes, but last Saturday's ACC win was sweetest: North Carolina held N.C. State to 13 first-half points in a 93--62 rout.

Doug Mirabelli
He can't hit (.195 over the last two seasons), and he's got bad wheels, but the Red Sox catcher can handle a knuckler. So to again play once every fifth day as Tim Wakefield's personal receiver, Mirabelli got a one-year deal worth up to $1 million from the World Series champs.

WHO'S Not

David Harrison
How did the Pacer make a bad season (4.4 points and 3.1 fouls a game through Sunday) worse? He got a five-game NBA ban for smoking pot. It cost him $74,000 and further irked coach Jim O'Brien, who told Indy's Star that even before the ban, "he didn't deserve to be on the court with us."

Brad Richards
The Lightning's most expensive player ($7.8 million a year) has been its biggest bust with three goals (one an empty-netter) in a 16-game stretch. At a league-worst -25, Richards, says coach John Tortorella, is going through "a hell of a time." The team too: Tampa Bay is last in the East.

Illinois Hoops
There'll be no NCAA tournament this year for the Illini (8--9). Last Saturday they lost their fifth straight—to Indiana and freshman guard Eric Gordon, who last year backed out of his oral commitment to Illinois. Gordon led scorers with 17 points in the game, his first against the Illini.

Chris Shelton
He could never field much—neither at catcher nor at first base—but the man could hit! (Remember that 10-homer April for Detroit in 2006?) Last year he was relegated to Triple A; last month the Tigers dealt him to Texas; and on Monday the Rangers, cellar-dwellers in 2007, cut him.