If you get past the lack of scoring soccer is crazy

Early word out of Yankee camp is Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez -- the two most recognizable faces of America's signature sports franchise -- are not seeing eye-to-eye.

They were once the best of buddies, dining together "four or five times a week," but Rodriquez acknowledged what has long been suspected -- the future Hall of Famers' relationship had gone south long before spring training.

Rodriguez offered this new found candor to the New York press with the ridiculous caveat it would be the last time he publicly discusses his relationship with Jeter. Which is akin to capturing a shark's attention, letting him eat your finger and then declaring fair play would be he not devour the rest of you.

Jeter, for his part, offered a non-denial denial or a denial non-denial and tried to move on.

This will all eventually lead to a trade of Rodriguez. But there is no urgency, especially if the Yankees start the season winning and keep it up. What's the worst that could happen: Sarcastic body language on the left side of the infield? A family member posting an ominous entry on a blog? An angry session with a sports psychiatrist?

Over in England, things are a little bit different. Two starters on Liverpool, one of Europe's most storied soccer franchises, had a falling out last week and the result was, well, a little more intense.

It started, apparently, with Arne Riise refusing to take teammate Craig Bellemy up on his request for Riise to join him on stage for some after-hours Karaoke and ended, apparently, with a spurned Bellemy barging into Riise's hotel room and pummeling the sleeping left mid-fielder with a golf club.

Liverpool is believed to be trying to sell Bellemy to another club. Urgently.