Sports this 'n' that

 We're in the final week of April, and there's already been a manager firing in Major League Baseball.

No, it's not Carlos Mendoza. Yet.

Instead, Boston's Alex Cora, whose Red Sox are, like the Mets, struggling, was cut even after Boston blew away Baltimore, 17-1, on Saturday afternoon. Chad Tracy, who had been managing Boston's top farm club in Worcester, was promoted as interim manager ahead of today's matinee in Baltimore.

Mendoza's Mets have dropped 14 of their last 16, including the first game of today's doubleheader at home against Colorado. The annual Citi Field injury plague has contributed to the team's offensive funk, with Francisco Lindor going on the IL earlier this week, just as Juan Soto had been activated the same day.

I just don't think Mendoza will last too much longer.

Sports fans in Boston are grateful that the Bruins & Celtics are still playing, given the Red Sox's poor start, but it doesn't overshadow the latest scandal involving the New England Patriots.

Two months after the Patriots were blown out in the Super Bowl, coach Mike Vrabel has taken a leave of absence during the draft after it came out that he'd been having an affair with NFL insider Diana Russini, who is also married, and that this allegedly has been going on since Vrabel was coaching Tennessee a few years ago.

Owner Robert Kraft's political influence within the league ensured that Vrabel would not be investigated. The last thing Kraft wants to have happen is change coaches yet again, after Vrabel took the Pats to the "Big Game" following Jerod Mayo's one year flop.

I've a feeling a change will come anyway.

ESPN's bloviator general, Stephen A. Smith, landed his first endorsement deal since his 2 year stint for Oberto beef jerky a few years back.

CarShield may want a refund.

It's one thing when players past & present are doing ads for CarShield, which sponsors baseball across the majors, including Eric Byrnes and his Hulk Hogan wannabe act. But a marble-brained goof like Smith, who talks like he knows about sports other than basketball, but is often exposed as a poser.

I mean, would you want to buy a car from Smith, or from Ice-T?