Sports this 'n' that

 It doesn't happen very often.

Smoke from a series of wildfires in Canada has made its way across the border into the US, and, today, it has forced postponement of two major league baseball games, a soccer match, and a WNBA game, as well as a game in the 518.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) alerts have been in effect since Tuesday, and will continue into tomorrow, according to the latest reports.

In New York and New Jersey, the Yankees, the Red Bulls (Major League Soccer), & Liberty (WNBA) postponed their games tonight, as did the Phillies & Tigers in Philadelphia. Closer to home, the Albany Dutchmen postponed their game vs. the Glens Falls Dragons. Not even the rain last night and tonight has been able to stop the smoke, which has actually made its way indoors, prompting the Liberty to postpone their game in Brooklyn.

At a time when we need rain, we're not getting enough.

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Subway's current ad campaign, fronted by former NBA star Charles Barkley, has added Madison Avenue's favorite ex-athlete, Peyton Manning, to their roster. Manning also did some spots for Bush's Baked Beans with their mascot, Duke.

Forget the commercials, just cast him in a remake of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" already. That's the kind of film that would be his speed.

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ESPN bloviator Stephen A. Smith crossed into "enemy territory", appearing on Fox No News with Spam Hannity Tuesday.

Smith, who identifies as a registered independent, ragged on both the GOP & Democrats, and didn't flinch when Hannity tried to bait him with a "gotcha" question. Well, at least he's smart enough to recognize those kinds of questions.

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Pro wrestling lost another of its legends earlier today.

Hussein Khosrow Vaziri, more commonly known as the Iron Sheik, passed away at the age of 83. Vaziri emigrated to the US more than 50 years ago, and was an assistant coach on the 1972 US Olympic team. He soon turned pro, and won his only world title in 1983, defeating Bob Backlund, only to drop the title a month later to Hulk Hogan, and, well, you know the rest of that story.

File photo courtesy Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

The Sheik would add a tag team title with Nikolai Volkoff in 1985, and that would be the last title he'd win with what is now WWE. Vaziri retired in 2010, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He became a cult favorite, appearing on Howard Stern's talk show frequently, and, through his nephews' assistance, would post on Twitter, continuing to diss his old nemesis Hogan.

Rest in peace.