I am ending the month of September with a poem about my college tennis playing days:
Coach knew I was a special player from day one
And labeled me the hero of the team, unsung
He set the significant duty of captain on my shoulders so slight
And hailed me the leader and settler of problems and plight
The reward of losing match after match isn’t much
And he tried to instill sportsmanship, regard for the game, and such
His lessons were valuable on and off the court
And hearing him reminisce was my restitution and resort
The few months traveling together in a van facilitated friendship
And we drove with determined direction, enjoying every trip
We’d laugh and taunt, the derides unintended harm
And Coach would endear us with his never-ending charm
I soaked up memories during those two seasons of play
And the more time goes by, the more grateful I am of the day
It wasn’t the only the superb sport that squeezed our souls
And none of us will forget to recall our indiscreet goals
The winning wasn’t in the cards often enough
And it helped to know I could survive the rough
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
California Clinches Championship
Mike Scioscia and the Anaheim Angels wrapped up the AL West title after an 11-0 romping of the Texas Rangers Monday night. The Angels won a lopsided game behind an invigorating Ervin Santana. The five-year Angel hurler helped the home team take their fifth division crown in six years with a complete game seven-hit shutout. The 92-64 Anaheim ballclub will open a first round best-of-five playoff series in California next week. Their opponent will be the AL wildcard winner. Boston is the heavy favorite and needs only one win or a Texas loss to earn a spot into the playoffs.
Kendry Morales, who clubbed just three longballs a year ago, smacked his 33rd of 2009. The first baseman drove in three runs, and was aided by outfield All-star, Vladimir Guerrero, on offense. Rookie flamethrower, Tommy Hunter, struggled to keep the home team off the bases. The Alabama native suffered the shortest start of his promising career. Maicer Izturis stroked three hits. Guerrero and Erick Aybar drove in a pair of runs apiece and Bobby Abreu also a three-hit night. Izturis keyed a three-run third inning with his two-run single. Abreu tripled and scored in the fourth. Hunter allowed seven hits and just as many runs in just 2 ½ frames. The Rangers’ relief effort was just as dismal. Dustin Nippert and Jason Grilli each gave up a run. Doug Mathis was of little support, permitting two runs in just one inning. Texas’s shoddy defense committed three errors that led to two unearned Angel runs. Conversely, Anaheim sparkled defensively and got an outstanding effort from their starting pitcher. The AL West Champions are 14-12 in September, and averaging only 4.2 runs per game. It is important they gain momentum heading into the final six games of the regular season. The offense racked up 12 hits against their division rivals. The bats were alive and the Angels used their gloves to smother Texas’ wildcard hopes.
The West was the Angels to win, and they were not going to be denied on this Monday night in front of their excited fans. After the division-clinching contest, the Angels formed a mob around the winning pitcher. They returned to the field after a short celebration to honor their deceased teammate, Nick Adenhart. The players reverently touched Adenhart’s #34 in the outfield and held up his jersey. The
bittersweet title was well-deserving. The Angels every year seem to differentiate themselves from the pack. They are a vastly underrated team as of late, and really have blossomed into a dominant franchise. What began as a doleful season may end in a World Series splash.
Parting points: It’s pre-season hockey time already? Cool.
What has gotten into those Minnesota Twins? They always find a way it seems.
“Don’t be surprised if I fall head over feet”-Alanis
Kendry Morales, who clubbed just three longballs a year ago, smacked his 33rd of 2009. The first baseman drove in three runs, and was aided by outfield All-star, Vladimir Guerrero, on offense. Rookie flamethrower, Tommy Hunter, struggled to keep the home team off the bases. The Alabama native suffered the shortest start of his promising career. Maicer Izturis stroked three hits. Guerrero and Erick Aybar drove in a pair of runs apiece and Bobby Abreu also a three-hit night. Izturis keyed a three-run third inning with his two-run single. Abreu tripled and scored in the fourth. Hunter allowed seven hits and just as many runs in just 2 ½ frames. The Rangers’ relief effort was just as dismal. Dustin Nippert and Jason Grilli each gave up a run. Doug Mathis was of little support, permitting two runs in just one inning. Texas’s shoddy defense committed three errors that led to two unearned Angel runs. Conversely, Anaheim sparkled defensively and got an outstanding effort from their starting pitcher. The AL West Champions are 14-12 in September, and averaging only 4.2 runs per game. It is important they gain momentum heading into the final six games of the regular season. The offense racked up 12 hits against their division rivals. The bats were alive and the Angels used their gloves to smother Texas’ wildcard hopes.
The West was the Angels to win, and they were not going to be denied on this Monday night in front of their excited fans. After the division-clinching contest, the Angels formed a mob around the winning pitcher. They returned to the field after a short celebration to honor their deceased teammate, Nick Adenhart. The players reverently touched Adenhart’s #34 in the outfield and held up his jersey. The
bittersweet title was well-deserving. The Angels every year seem to differentiate themselves from the pack. They are a vastly underrated team as of late, and really have blossomed into a dominant franchise. What began as a doleful season may end in a World Series splash.
Parting points: It’s pre-season hockey time already? Cool.
What has gotten into those Minnesota Twins? They always find a way it seems.
“Don’t be surprised if I fall head over feet”-Alanis
Monday, September 28, 2009
Fantastic Favre Finish
He may be wearing purple and tossing spirals back in the Northwest, but future Hall-Of-Fame quarterback, Brett Favre, still has a flair for the dramatic. Favre can still lead a team down the field with minutes remaining for the game-winning drive. Number four solidified his legacy Sunday in Minneapolis. He won over his new Vikings teammates and fans by rallying past the San Francisco 49ers in the final seconds Sunday afternoon.
The Vikings’ 27-24 victory provided the team their third win of 2009. This one was as good as it gets. Favre zipped a pass to seventh year veteran, Greg Lewis, in the back of the endzone with two seconds left in regulation. The 32 yard reception was perfectly placed and snatched by Lewis, who smartly set his two feet in bounds before dropping to the turf. The sellout Minnesota faithful roared in cheers as the official confirmed the go-ahead touchdown. Favre it 12-2 lifetime against San Francisco and was very much the reason the Niners suffered their first loss of 2009.
In a game of shifting momentum and big plays, the final drive was astounding and awesome. Favre completed six passes on the game-winning drive, including the stunning one that sailed to Lewis. Brett wrapped up a 24 for 47 day for 301 yards in his Vikings’ home debut. Brett’s last 300 yard game was in November of 2007. He did throw one pick-six, but used seven different Vikings to compile the yardage. The last play began with just 12 second and the visiting 2-0 49ers ahead by four points. Favre was tough to defend in his last attempt to win the game, and his grit gleamed on the field as his tight spirals captured a captivated crowd. He took plenty of blows from the San Francisco defense but still had enough to even block a linebacker downfield after he threw a pass to Bernard Berrian. Favre is like a big kid out there. Despite his retirement saga and rock-star attention-drawing demeanor, he still knows how to play the game like it should be played.
There was little trepidation when the Vikings were handed the ball back with 87 ticks on the game clock. The confidence in Favre and the guys up front was enough to motivate Minnesota’s offense. It was almost devious witnessing Favre’s comeback, but he wasn’t scheming all day. Shaun Hill, a former third string quarterback in Minnesota, threw a pair of touchdown passes and gave the Niners the lead midway through the fourth quarter. Vernon Davis was on the receiving end of both of Hill’s hauls. The 49ers performance was even more outstanding considering they were without running back, Frank Gore. Backup, Glen Coffee, filled in with 54 yards on 24 carries, not exactly numbers to give you a java jolt.
When the Niners didn’t have control of the ball, they were pressuring Favre with a penetrating defense. They sacked him twice. Cornerback, Shawntae Spencer, picked him off. But the veteran was pretty much on his game. He completed a first quarter touchdown pass to Sidney Rice to put seven points on the board early. After a seven play drive, Ryan Longwell kicked a field goal to increase the Viking lead to 10-0. The Niners responded with their own seven play drive, resulting in a five yard touchdown pass from Hill to Davis. Longwell secured a 52 yard field goal later in the second but things were mixed up right before the half on the kicking side of the ball. San Francisco’s Nate Clements blocked a field goal try and returned it for a touchdown to supply the go-ahead score 14-13.
Joe Nedney booted a 37 yarder to start the third quarter scoring. Former Florida Gator receiver, Percy Harvin, tacked on a touchdown for the home team as he sprinted down the field for a 101 yard kick return. The Niners found the endzone one last time with a triumphant Davis 20 yard reception in the fourth quarter. Then it was the Vikings and Favre forging their identity and marching to success in less than a minute and a half.
Mike Singletary and the 49ers are a rebuilding team, but deserve plenty of respect. The relentless running game and stubborn defense are going to take San Francisco to new heights this season. Tight end, Davis, had the best game of his career. Hill was nearly impeccable until the final two drives where the Niners went three-and-out. The visiting team simply left far too much time for Favre. There are many positives to take from the game if you’re a San Francisco fan. The magic of Brett Favre should not be the downfall of this young season. Favre’s shake off of defensive end, Justin Smith and roll to the right came before his hurl to Lewis. Not many quarterbacks in this league make that throw as accurately as number four. Favre found his receiver in the right corner of the endzone at an ill-timed moment for the 49ers. Next Sunday, San Francisco hosts the St. Louis Rams. That game should be relatively easy, and at least Favre won’t be there to break their hearts.
Parting points: Yankees won the AL East. Hoorah for New York. And, the Jets and Giants are both 3-0.
View Favre's game-winning drive here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un3B7Og-FS0
The Vikings’ 27-24 victory provided the team their third win of 2009. This one was as good as it gets. Favre zipped a pass to seventh year veteran, Greg Lewis, in the back of the endzone with two seconds left in regulation. The 32 yard reception was perfectly placed and snatched by Lewis, who smartly set his two feet in bounds before dropping to the turf. The sellout Minnesota faithful roared in cheers as the official confirmed the go-ahead touchdown. Favre it 12-2 lifetime against San Francisco and was very much the reason the Niners suffered their first loss of 2009.
In a game of shifting momentum and big plays, the final drive was astounding and awesome. Favre completed six passes on the game-winning drive, including the stunning one that sailed to Lewis. Brett wrapped up a 24 for 47 day for 301 yards in his Vikings’ home debut. Brett’s last 300 yard game was in November of 2007. He did throw one pick-six, but used seven different Vikings to compile the yardage. The last play began with just 12 second and the visiting 2-0 49ers ahead by four points. Favre was tough to defend in his last attempt to win the game, and his grit gleamed on the field as his tight spirals captured a captivated crowd. He took plenty of blows from the San Francisco defense but still had enough to even block a linebacker downfield after he threw a pass to Bernard Berrian. Favre is like a big kid out there. Despite his retirement saga and rock-star attention-drawing demeanor, he still knows how to play the game like it should be played.
There was little trepidation when the Vikings were handed the ball back with 87 ticks on the game clock. The confidence in Favre and the guys up front was enough to motivate Minnesota’s offense. It was almost devious witnessing Favre’s comeback, but he wasn’t scheming all day. Shaun Hill, a former third string quarterback in Minnesota, threw a pair of touchdown passes and gave the Niners the lead midway through the fourth quarter. Vernon Davis was on the receiving end of both of Hill’s hauls. The 49ers performance was even more outstanding considering they were without running back, Frank Gore. Backup, Glen Coffee, filled in with 54 yards on 24 carries, not exactly numbers to give you a java jolt.
When the Niners didn’t have control of the ball, they were pressuring Favre with a penetrating defense. They sacked him twice. Cornerback, Shawntae Spencer, picked him off. But the veteran was pretty much on his game. He completed a first quarter touchdown pass to Sidney Rice to put seven points on the board early. After a seven play drive, Ryan Longwell kicked a field goal to increase the Viking lead to 10-0. The Niners responded with their own seven play drive, resulting in a five yard touchdown pass from Hill to Davis. Longwell secured a 52 yard field goal later in the second but things were mixed up right before the half on the kicking side of the ball. San Francisco’s Nate Clements blocked a field goal try and returned it for a touchdown to supply the go-ahead score 14-13.
Joe Nedney booted a 37 yarder to start the third quarter scoring. Former Florida Gator receiver, Percy Harvin, tacked on a touchdown for the home team as he sprinted down the field for a 101 yard kick return. The Niners found the endzone one last time with a triumphant Davis 20 yard reception in the fourth quarter. Then it was the Vikings and Favre forging their identity and marching to success in less than a minute and a half.
Mike Singletary and the 49ers are a rebuilding team, but deserve plenty of respect. The relentless running game and stubborn defense are going to take San Francisco to new heights this season. Tight end, Davis, had the best game of his career. Hill was nearly impeccable until the final two drives where the Niners went three-and-out. The visiting team simply left far too much time for Favre. There are many positives to take from the game if you’re a San Francisco fan. The magic of Brett Favre should not be the downfall of this young season. Favre’s shake off of defensive end, Justin Smith and roll to the right came before his hurl to Lewis. Not many quarterbacks in this league make that throw as accurately as number four. Favre found his receiver in the right corner of the endzone at an ill-timed moment for the 49ers. Next Sunday, San Francisco hosts the St. Louis Rams. That game should be relatively easy, and at least Favre won’t be there to break their hearts.
Parting points: Yankees won the AL East. Hoorah for New York. And, the Jets and Giants are both 3-0.
View Favre's game-winning drive here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un3B7Og-FS0
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sabathia's Saturday Sox Shutdown
C.C. Sabathia became the majors’ first 19 game winner and Robinson Cano belted his 24th homerun of the season as the Yankees cruised to a shutout win at home against the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees won for the second time in the three game set by skating past Boston 3-0. Sabathia, Phil Hughes and Marino Rivera combined for a two-hitter and Cano provided all the offense the Bombers would need with his sixth inning opposite field shot.
Boston’s magic number for a playoff berth stands at three and New York can clinch the AL East title with a win today against the pesky Sox. Daisuke Matsuzaka was outshined by a stellar Sabathia performance Saturday. The ace tossed seven innings of one-hit ball and retired the first 11 Boston batters he faced. Victor Martinez was the first Red Sox to reach base on a walk in the fourth inning. Martinez extended his 25-game hitting streak with a single off Rivera in the ninth. Mike Lowell mustered the only hit off the southpaw with a crack up the middle in the top of the fifth. C.C. lowered his ERA to 3.21 and fanned eight Red Sox on a crisp Fall afternoon in the Bronx.
Matsuzaka, pitching to Martinez for just the first time, was not great but asserted an encouraging effort in his third start off the disabled list. He only allowed one run, but gave up six hits in seven innings. Matsuzaka’s control was a troubling factor. He walked five Bombers and hit a batter. Cano homered in the sixth to break the taut affair, and Johnny Damon clubbed a soft two -run double off Billy Wagner in the eighth. As it turned out, it would only take one run to beat Boston on this day. The Red Sox left five runners on base, but it wasn’t often they reached the bags. Sabathia faced the minimum three batters in the first three frames before Boston plated four hitters in the fourth. Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Lowell all struck out twice as the Red Sox couldn’t get any wood on the ball. They seemed sluggish, shoddy and overmatched when Sabathia was stymieing their sticks.
The Red Sox have lost eight of their last nine meetings with the Yankees. The season series finale could be the game that crowns New York champions of the division. Saturday, Sabathia looked like the Game One playoff starter the Bombers expect come October. The lefty had stupendous command but come post-season time, he will need even more. The Yankees’ ace struggled in the playoffs against Boston as a Cleveland Indian. His ERA was over ten in just two ALCS starts two years ago. Last year, Sabathia yielded five runs as an NL post-season starter with Milwaukee. Although he is undefeated in his last 11 starts in pinstripes, the Yankees are not ensuring he will rise to the occasion in the next month. The difference in 2009 could be the bullpen. The Yankees have a solid relief core and arguably still have the best closer on the bench in Rivera. Sabathia should not have to do it all himself on the mound, but the former CY Young winner must be an innings-eater when the level of play increases.
Parting Points: Song for Sunday- “On Bended Knee”- Boyz II Men
Who would have thought Ohio State would be good for their second shutout in as many weeks? I am a Buckeye backer, but I admit, I didn’t.
Boston’s magic number for a playoff berth stands at three and New York can clinch the AL East title with a win today against the pesky Sox. Daisuke Matsuzaka was outshined by a stellar Sabathia performance Saturday. The ace tossed seven innings of one-hit ball and retired the first 11 Boston batters he faced. Victor Martinez was the first Red Sox to reach base on a walk in the fourth inning. Martinez extended his 25-game hitting streak with a single off Rivera in the ninth. Mike Lowell mustered the only hit off the southpaw with a crack up the middle in the top of the fifth. C.C. lowered his ERA to 3.21 and fanned eight Red Sox on a crisp Fall afternoon in the Bronx.
Matsuzaka, pitching to Martinez for just the first time, was not great but asserted an encouraging effort in his third start off the disabled list. He only allowed one run, but gave up six hits in seven innings. Matsuzaka’s control was a troubling factor. He walked five Bombers and hit a batter. Cano homered in the sixth to break the taut affair, and Johnny Damon clubbed a soft two -run double off Billy Wagner in the eighth. As it turned out, it would only take one run to beat Boston on this day. The Red Sox left five runners on base, but it wasn’t often they reached the bags. Sabathia faced the minimum three batters in the first three frames before Boston plated four hitters in the fourth. Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Lowell all struck out twice as the Red Sox couldn’t get any wood on the ball. They seemed sluggish, shoddy and overmatched when Sabathia was stymieing their sticks.
The Red Sox have lost eight of their last nine meetings with the Yankees. The season series finale could be the game that crowns New York champions of the division. Saturday, Sabathia looked like the Game One playoff starter the Bombers expect come October. The lefty had stupendous command but come post-season time, he will need even more. The Yankees’ ace struggled in the playoffs against Boston as a Cleveland Indian. His ERA was over ten in just two ALCS starts two years ago. Last year, Sabathia yielded five runs as an NL post-season starter with Milwaukee. Although he is undefeated in his last 11 starts in pinstripes, the Yankees are not ensuring he will rise to the occasion in the next month. The difference in 2009 could be the bullpen. The Yankees have a solid relief core and arguably still have the best closer on the bench in Rivera. Sabathia should not have to do it all himself on the mound, but the former CY Young winner must be an innings-eater when the level of play increases.
Parting Points: Song for Sunday- “On Bended Knee”- Boyz II Men
Who would have thought Ohio State would be good for their second shutout in as many weeks? I am a Buckeye backer, but I admit, I didn’t.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Bears' Best Backfield
Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! The college football schedule is stocked with spooky showdowns for this September Saturday. The Penn State Lions seeks revenge against the Iowa Hawkeyes in a primetime Happy Valley Big 10 rematch of last year. A Nittany loss could spoil a BCS berth for the Joe Paterno’s undefeated squad. The number five Lions should be able to paw their way to victory against a jubilant Iowa team. The same cannot decisively be said about the Memphis Tigers. The 1-2 Tigers face the 2-1
Marshall Thundering Herd today at noon. If this were a hoops game, Memphis would have the emphatic edge. But today they endure a tough test. The Tigers will do so without their biggest offensive weapon in the game. Curtis Steele is out with an injury and will be replaced with running back, T.J. Pitts. The senior will attempt to force and effective ground attack against their Conference USA opponents. Last week, Marshall was successful in limiting Bowling Green to just 10 rushing yards. The same formula will be implemented by Mark Snyder’s defense in stopping the strong secondary of the Tigers.
One of the more enjoyable teams to watch on the college gridiron is the California Bears, the focus being on their talented tailback. The boastful Bears begin boisterous Pac-10 play against the Oregon Ducks today in Eugene. California tailback, Jahvid Best, is one of the top players in the nation. The Bears’ “Golden Boy” is piecing together a legitimate push for Heisman trophy votes. Best is averaging 137 yards a game as the country’s third best rusher. He propelled California to a 35-21 victory on the road last week against Big 10 opponents, Minnesota. The speedy tailback scored a school record five touchdowns and scrambled for 131 yards on the ground, good enough to earn him Pac-10 player of the week honors. In last season’s ten point win over Oregon, Best helped the Bears with 16 carries and 93 yards. The superstar is now a year older, and he remains the key cog to California’s leading offense. The Bears rank among college football’s best in three offensive categories. They are 11th in total offense,second in scoring and tenth in rushing piloted by quarterback and Oregon native, Kevin Riley. Riley hasn’t thrown an interception yet in this young season. He has tossed five touchdown passes for the 3-0 Golden Bears and has precise pocket presence. Riley has a devastating ground game with Best and sophomore, Shane Vereen. Both carry the ball and escape stout defenses trying tremendously to stop or simply slow the Bears’ running game. Vereen has one touchdown reception to his credit to go along with four rushing touchdowns. Best’s ability to chew up yardage has made a 65% completion rate look easy for Riley. Jeremy Ross is also coming into his own for the Bears. Ross has matured into the team’s top receiver. Last week against Minnesota, Ross had three catches, including a vital reception on a third down conversion during the game winning drive. Wideouts Marvin Jones and Verran Tucker are other outside options. California’s leading receiver in 2008, Nyan Boateng, spent time on the sideline last week with a foot fracture. Boateng will be out four to six weeks. The Bears are even impressive and expressive on defense. Cal defenders have held opponents to under 300 yards total offense through the first three games. The Bears are structured around a strong linebacking unit. The snippy defense is another reason the Bears find themselves in a positive position so early on. Junior Mike Mohamed retained two interceptions and two sacks. Sophomore linebacker, Mychal Kendricks leads the team in tackles, with a brutal 30. The sixth ranked Bears are the class of the Pac-10, even if they are overshadowed by their interstate rivals, USC. California and UCLA are the only teams with three wins, and one of three undefeated Pac-10 clubs. Arizona State hasn’t lost yet, but only has two victories. The Bears host USC next weekend to kick off October and the toughest stretch of their schedule. The compelling contest with Oregon will not be overlooked even with the Trojans on the horizon. The Bears have a favored schedule but the Ducks will bring a dazzling and dressed down strategy for Saturday success. Today Jeff Tedford’s Bears begin their quest for a Pac-10 title. They must first get escape
Eugene unscathed.
Parting points: Listening to a little Whitney Houston and waiting for an afternoon meeting in the Bronx. I
am also hoping the Buckeyes do not snooze against Ron Zook and the Illini today.
Marshall Thundering Herd today at noon. If this were a hoops game, Memphis would have the emphatic edge. But today they endure a tough test. The Tigers will do so without their biggest offensive weapon in the game. Curtis Steele is out with an injury and will be replaced with running back, T.J. Pitts. The senior will attempt to force and effective ground attack against their Conference USA opponents. Last week, Marshall was successful in limiting Bowling Green to just 10 rushing yards. The same formula will be implemented by Mark Snyder’s defense in stopping the strong secondary of the Tigers.
One of the more enjoyable teams to watch on the college gridiron is the California Bears, the focus being on their talented tailback. The boastful Bears begin boisterous Pac-10 play against the Oregon Ducks today in Eugene. California tailback, Jahvid Best, is one of the top players in the nation. The Bears’ “Golden Boy” is piecing together a legitimate push for Heisman trophy votes. Best is averaging 137 yards a game as the country’s third best rusher. He propelled California to a 35-21 victory on the road last week against Big 10 opponents, Minnesota. The speedy tailback scored a school record five touchdowns and scrambled for 131 yards on the ground, good enough to earn him Pac-10 player of the week honors. In last season’s ten point win over Oregon, Best helped the Bears with 16 carries and 93 yards. The superstar is now a year older, and he remains the key cog to California’s leading offense. The Bears rank among college football’s best in three offensive categories. They are 11th in total offense,second in scoring and tenth in rushing piloted by quarterback and Oregon native, Kevin Riley. Riley hasn’t thrown an interception yet in this young season. He has tossed five touchdown passes for the 3-0 Golden Bears and has precise pocket presence. Riley has a devastating ground game with Best and sophomore, Shane Vereen. Both carry the ball and escape stout defenses trying tremendously to stop or simply slow the Bears’ running game. Vereen has one touchdown reception to his credit to go along with four rushing touchdowns. Best’s ability to chew up yardage has made a 65% completion rate look easy for Riley. Jeremy Ross is also coming into his own for the Bears. Ross has matured into the team’s top receiver. Last week against Minnesota, Ross had three catches, including a vital reception on a third down conversion during the game winning drive. Wideouts Marvin Jones and Verran Tucker are other outside options. California’s leading receiver in 2008, Nyan Boateng, spent time on the sideline last week with a foot fracture. Boateng will be out four to six weeks. The Bears are even impressive and expressive on defense. Cal defenders have held opponents to under 300 yards total offense through the first three games. The Bears are structured around a strong linebacking unit. The snippy defense is another reason the Bears find themselves in a positive position so early on. Junior Mike Mohamed retained two interceptions and two sacks. Sophomore linebacker, Mychal Kendricks leads the team in tackles, with a brutal 30. The sixth ranked Bears are the class of the Pac-10, even if they are overshadowed by their interstate rivals, USC. California and UCLA are the only teams with three wins, and one of three undefeated Pac-10 clubs. Arizona State hasn’t lost yet, but only has two victories. The Bears host USC next weekend to kick off October and the toughest stretch of their schedule. The compelling contest with Oregon will not be overlooked even with the Trojans on the horizon. The Bears have a favored schedule but the Ducks will bring a dazzling and dressed down strategy for Saturday success. Today Jeff Tedford’s Bears begin their quest for a Pac-10 title. They must first get escape
Eugene unscathed.
Parting points: Listening to a little Whitney Houston and waiting for an afternoon meeting in the Bronx. I
am also hoping the Buckeyes do not snooze against Ron Zook and the Illini today.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Bullpen Breakdowns
They hang on by the red threads of a baseball for their post-season lives. I’m talking about the Chicago Cubs, who last night, staved off playoff elimination and extended their hopes one more day by defeating the San Francisco Giants with late inning heroics. Bay area closer, Brian Wilson, gave up the game-winning homerun in the top of the ninth to Cubs struggling second base slugger, Jeff Baker. Baker doubled to left in the top of the second off San Francisco starter, Brad Penny. He was doubled up in his next at-bat, and flied out to center field for the first out of the seventh inning. Baker came to bat for the fourth time in the ninth with the opposing team clinging to a one run lead. His long ball put the Cubs ahead 3-2 for good, and sent a stunned San Francisco team packing and trailing the NL wildcard-leading Rockies by four games.
The Giants were a strike away from gaining a came on Colorado before the two out bomb banished their opportunity. Penny pitched eight innings of one-run ball before handing the game over to Wilson. Wilson began the inning by walking veteran Chicago swinger, Derrek Lee. Lee stole second after Wilson retired the next two batters on popups. Baker smacked a fastball over the left field wall, and the Giants quickly fell behind a run. The home team put two runners aboard in their half of the ninth. Cubs’ hard-throwing reliever, Carlos Marmol, struck out two Giants to end the game. Former New York Met, Aaron Heilman, ascended to victory for his fourth of the year as Marmol picked up his 15th season save. Wilson suffered the loss, but his summoning from the bullpen was hard to argue. The closer’s miniscule ERA of 1.27 over his last nine outings justified Bruce Bochy’s move. Chicago starter, Ryan Dempster, was outpitched by his former teammate from Florida. Dempster lasted seven innings but scattered seven hits and two runs.
The outcome of the Rockies-Padres game was posted on the scoreboard when the Cubs and Giants were tied at 1-1 in the fifth. Each team scored one run in the fourth inning. Micah Hoffpauir scored when Baker grounded into a double play. Left fielder for the Giants, John Bowker, crossed the plate on shortstop Juan Uribe’s double in the bottom of the fourth to even the score. Bowker replaced Nate Schierholtz in the lineup. The southpaw slugger sat because of food poisoning. The manager’s decision payed off when backup Bowker homered off Dempster into McCovey Cove in the seventh.
The Giants are now 82-71 and four games back with nine remaining. San Francisco plays six more home games against Chicago and Arizona before finishing the season in San Diego. The Padres are poised to play spoiler. Smug San Diego set aside the Rockies 5-4 Thursday night. The Rockies lead was trimmed to 3 ½ games over the idle Atlanta Braves. The Braves probably have the easiest schedule of the remaining wildcard contenders. The NL Central is all but over as soon as the Cardinals win and the Cubs lose another game. But this wildcard race is an intriguing one that should come down to the final day of the regular season. The Rockies play the Cardinals next in a possible preview of the post-season. Matt Holliday will return to Corrs Field for the first time since he was traded to Oakland last winter. He will arrive in a Redbird uniform to face a Rockies team that has lost 7 of their last 11, including last night. Joe Beimel took the loss for Colorado and a shaky bullpen, but hope to reconvene and regroup this weekend. Jason Hammel tossed a gem through six ½ excellent innings, but his bullpen collapsed after being handed a 3-1 advantage. The Cardinals will start two CY Young candidates in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright and plate All-stars, Holliday and Albert Pujols in the three game set beginning Friday. Both teams will embark on the last weekend of September with still a lot to prove.
Parting Points: Yankees-Red Sox, the final round starts tonight.
Song of the day-: “Hand In My Pocket” by Alanis Morisette
The Giants were a strike away from gaining a came on Colorado before the two out bomb banished their opportunity. Penny pitched eight innings of one-run ball before handing the game over to Wilson. Wilson began the inning by walking veteran Chicago swinger, Derrek Lee. Lee stole second after Wilson retired the next two batters on popups. Baker smacked a fastball over the left field wall, and the Giants quickly fell behind a run. The home team put two runners aboard in their half of the ninth. Cubs’ hard-throwing reliever, Carlos Marmol, struck out two Giants to end the game. Former New York Met, Aaron Heilman, ascended to victory for his fourth of the year as Marmol picked up his 15th season save. Wilson suffered the loss, but his summoning from the bullpen was hard to argue. The closer’s miniscule ERA of 1.27 over his last nine outings justified Bruce Bochy’s move. Chicago starter, Ryan Dempster, was outpitched by his former teammate from Florida. Dempster lasted seven innings but scattered seven hits and two runs.
The outcome of the Rockies-Padres game was posted on the scoreboard when the Cubs and Giants were tied at 1-1 in the fifth. Each team scored one run in the fourth inning. Micah Hoffpauir scored when Baker grounded into a double play. Left fielder for the Giants, John Bowker, crossed the plate on shortstop Juan Uribe’s double in the bottom of the fourth to even the score. Bowker replaced Nate Schierholtz in the lineup. The southpaw slugger sat because of food poisoning. The manager’s decision payed off when backup Bowker homered off Dempster into McCovey Cove in the seventh.
The Giants are now 82-71 and four games back with nine remaining. San Francisco plays six more home games against Chicago and Arizona before finishing the season in San Diego. The Padres are poised to play spoiler. Smug San Diego set aside the Rockies 5-4 Thursday night. The Rockies lead was trimmed to 3 ½ games over the idle Atlanta Braves. The Braves probably have the easiest schedule of the remaining wildcard contenders. The NL Central is all but over as soon as the Cardinals win and the Cubs lose another game. But this wildcard race is an intriguing one that should come down to the final day of the regular season. The Rockies play the Cardinals next in a possible preview of the post-season. Matt Holliday will return to Corrs Field for the first time since he was traded to Oakland last winter. He will arrive in a Redbird uniform to face a Rockies team that has lost 7 of their last 11, including last night. Joe Beimel took the loss for Colorado and a shaky bullpen, but hope to reconvene and regroup this weekend. Jason Hammel tossed a gem through six ½ excellent innings, but his bullpen collapsed after being handed a 3-1 advantage. The Cardinals will start two CY Young candidates in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright and plate All-stars, Holliday and Albert Pujols in the three game set beginning Friday. Both teams will embark on the last weekend of September with still a lot to prove.
Parting Points: Yankees-Red Sox, the final round starts tonight.
Song of the day-: “Hand In My Pocket” by Alanis Morisette
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Halos Held Helpless
The New York Yankees held on to best the California Angels of Anaheim in a showdown struggle for AL East supremacy Wednesday. New York has beaten the home team twice in the last two days using a dose of Anaheim’s own medicine. The back-to-back one run victories are being endorsed by fans who enjoy watching the Yankees play small ball. The Bombers won 3-2 yesterday, a night after their come-from-behind 6-5 scuffle at Angels Stadium. The team could clinch the AL East title this weekend, with an emphatic statement against the Red Sox at home. Right now, New York is proving they are the team to beat, backed by a solid lineup and defense and clutch hitting.
The resilient bombers started A.J. Burnett yesterday afternoon. Burnett went 5 2/3 innings, struck out 11 batters and gave up two runs. He left the game with the lead before turning it over to the bullpen, led by a crop of relievers, Ian Kennedy, Damaso Marte, Jonathan Albaladejo, Phil Coke and Mariano Rivera. Rivera threw blazing fastballs in the ninth to preserve the victory and send New York home with a 2-1 series win. Scott Kazmir pitched well for the Angels over six innings. Kazmir has only registered one win in five of his last tries for the California club. Kazmir allowed five straight Bombers to reach base in a decisive fourth frame. In the fourth, New York scored all three of their tallies on four hits. Second baseman, Robinson Cano, got the Yankees on board with a two-run single, and Melky Cabrera provided a one-run double.
The Angels did their scoring in the bottom of the fifth and sixth off Burnett. A.J. yielded two hits in each of the innings Anaheim crossed the plate. Chone Figgins, the third base leadoff man, had three hits, including a double. Former Yankee, Bobby Abreau, and right-fielder, Gary Matthews, Jr., contributed the RBIs for the home Halos.
The Bombers had not won a series in So Cal since 2004 prior to this week. Anaheim’s inability to drive in runs was the main factor in determining the victor Wednesday. Exhaustion probably played a role for the Angels because the bats looked sluggish after playing 40 games in the last 41 days. The Halos were fanned a season-high fifteen times as their offense was virtually rendered a non-factor. The athletic club walked away with a one run loss after stranding 10 runners in scoring position. Despite scoring their initial run in the fifth, Anaheim left a baserunner standing on third as Burnett stingily closed out the inning. They left runners on first and second in the sixth, and one more on third in the seventh frame. The Angels came close to tying the score or taking the lead in the eighth with Kennedy on the mound. Howie Kendrick was hit by a pitch and Matthews, Jr. drew a pass on a full count to advance the runner. Pinch hitter, Caesar Izturis, struck out before Kennedy issued his second walk to Figgins. The reliever induced a fly ball off the bat of Eric Aybar for the third out and the Angels came up empty in the eighth. Rivera struck out the first two hitters he faced in the bottom of the ninth, and got his namesake, Juan Rivera, to pop up to end the game.
Rivera now has 42 saves in 2009. Burnett pitched exceptionally well through the first four innings and finished with 11 strikeouts total. He had pinpoint control, and Joe Girardi did not micromanage the bullpen, but used his staff appropriately. It was a little scary for Kennedy because he hasn’t pitched in so long. I was not sure what to expect from the young hurler in his return to the mound on the road with a small lead. Kendrick whiffed three times for the Halos, and first baseman, Kendry Morales, was fanned four out of the five times he stepped to the plate. The Angels did display decent defense during the contest. Mark Teixeria tried to score in the fourth inning on a Shelley Duncan line drive to the outfield, but was nailed at the plate by Rivera’s strong throw from left. Tuesday night, the Yankees snapped the Angels’ five game winning streak against New York. The teams could face each other next month for the pennant. Will the Yankees be the ones to continue their recent streak, or will Anaheim find a way to bounce back?
Parting Points: “I’m in love. I’m all shook up”- Elvis
Too bad about Wayne Gretzky stepping down as Coyotes coach, but he really did not have success in four seasons behind the bench.
The resilient bombers started A.J. Burnett yesterday afternoon. Burnett went 5 2/3 innings, struck out 11 batters and gave up two runs. He left the game with the lead before turning it over to the bullpen, led by a crop of relievers, Ian Kennedy, Damaso Marte, Jonathan Albaladejo, Phil Coke and Mariano Rivera. Rivera threw blazing fastballs in the ninth to preserve the victory and send New York home with a 2-1 series win. Scott Kazmir pitched well for the Angels over six innings. Kazmir has only registered one win in five of his last tries for the California club. Kazmir allowed five straight Bombers to reach base in a decisive fourth frame. In the fourth, New York scored all three of their tallies on four hits. Second baseman, Robinson Cano, got the Yankees on board with a two-run single, and Melky Cabrera provided a one-run double.
The Angels did their scoring in the bottom of the fifth and sixth off Burnett. A.J. yielded two hits in each of the innings Anaheim crossed the plate. Chone Figgins, the third base leadoff man, had three hits, including a double. Former Yankee, Bobby Abreau, and right-fielder, Gary Matthews, Jr., contributed the RBIs for the home Halos.
The Bombers had not won a series in So Cal since 2004 prior to this week. Anaheim’s inability to drive in runs was the main factor in determining the victor Wednesday. Exhaustion probably played a role for the Angels because the bats looked sluggish after playing 40 games in the last 41 days. The Halos were fanned a season-high fifteen times as their offense was virtually rendered a non-factor. The athletic club walked away with a one run loss after stranding 10 runners in scoring position. Despite scoring their initial run in the fifth, Anaheim left a baserunner standing on third as Burnett stingily closed out the inning. They left runners on first and second in the sixth, and one more on third in the seventh frame. The Angels came close to tying the score or taking the lead in the eighth with Kennedy on the mound. Howie Kendrick was hit by a pitch and Matthews, Jr. drew a pass on a full count to advance the runner. Pinch hitter, Caesar Izturis, struck out before Kennedy issued his second walk to Figgins. The reliever induced a fly ball off the bat of Eric Aybar for the third out and the Angels came up empty in the eighth. Rivera struck out the first two hitters he faced in the bottom of the ninth, and got his namesake, Juan Rivera, to pop up to end the game.
Rivera now has 42 saves in 2009. Burnett pitched exceptionally well through the first four innings and finished with 11 strikeouts total. He had pinpoint control, and Joe Girardi did not micromanage the bullpen, but used his staff appropriately. It was a little scary for Kennedy because he hasn’t pitched in so long. I was not sure what to expect from the young hurler in his return to the mound on the road with a small lead. Kendrick whiffed three times for the Halos, and first baseman, Kendry Morales, was fanned four out of the five times he stepped to the plate. The Angels did display decent defense during the contest. Mark Teixeria tried to score in the fourth inning on a Shelley Duncan line drive to the outfield, but was nailed at the plate by Rivera’s strong throw from left. Tuesday night, the Yankees snapped the Angels’ five game winning streak against New York. The teams could face each other next month for the pennant. Will the Yankees be the ones to continue their recent streak, or will Anaheim find a way to bounce back?
Parting Points: “I’m in love. I’m all shook up”- Elvis
Too bad about Wayne Gretzky stepping down as Coyotes coach, but he really did not have success in four seasons behind the bench.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Miami's Monday Melee
There is some incredible football being played in Miami. Unfortunately for fans of the Sunshine State, the best football is being produced at the University of Miami. While the college game is thriving down south, the professional home team is struggling to get their first win. The Dolphins dropped their second game in a row Monday, losing to the visiting Indianapolis Colts, 27-23. The road victory for the Colts was impressive considering Indianapolis held the ball for just 14 minutes and 53 seconds. The Colts’ time of possession was the lowest by any winning NFL team since 1977. Indy quarterback, Peyton Manning, staged another one of his numerous comebacks by hitting second year receiver, Pierre Garcon with 3:18 ticks remaining in the game. Manning spoiled the fun for the Miami home opener a night after his younger brother, Eli, rallied to beat the Dallas Cowboys in Texas.
Manning showed supreme confidence and created opportunities for the Colts late in the game. The veteran signal-caller gave his team a chance to win, finishing 14 for 23 and throwing over 300 yards in limited time. The 2-0 Colts scored promptly on their first possession amid an electric atmosphere in Land Shark Stadium. Manning found Dallas Clark wide open on a one-play 80 yard touchdown reception 12 seconds into Monday night’s melee. The Dolphins scored in first quarter on a Ronnie Brown 14 yard run to even the score at 7-7. Brown and Ricky Williams effectively executed the wildcat offense. Together, they rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Williams craftily carried the ball 19 times. Miami outrushed the Colts and completed close to double the first downs, but was still unable to pull together a win. Fins quarterback, Chad Pennington, is prone to some inconsistent passing. The lopsided time of possession was not an advantage for Chad. Pennington did not have a touchdown pass, but was charged with one interception on 183 yards through the air. Miami’s leading receiver, Ted Ginn, Jr, dropped two vital passes in the endzone that could have made the difference last night. Pennington overthrew Ginn on the most important plays, but still managed to complete 11 passes to the former Ohio State receiver.
The Dolphins beating the Colts was imperative, but Manning is Mr. Clutch. Manning earned a record 119 wins with the Colts to break the team record for quarterback. Manning took only three snaps in the third quarter and his team held the ball only three times after halftime. Superbowl star, Adam Vinatieri, footed two field goals in the second quarter (43 and 48 yards) and Dan Carpenter ran for two touchdowns for Miami to keep the teams notched at 13 at the half. Neither team executed in the third quarter but Miami went ahead early in the fourth on a 13 play, 80 yard scoring drive. Brown squirted into the endzone on a three yard burst to give the Dolphins their third lead of the day, 20-13. University of Connecticut tailback, Donald Brown and the Colts responded with ten minutes left. Brown scored on a six yard run to tie the score for the fourth time of the night. The Dolphins fell short of finding the endzone and had to settle for three points on Dan Carpenter’s 45 yard field goal with just over three minutes left in regulation. Miami converted three third downs before the field goal, including a 21 yard pass to Ginn on 3rd and 7 at the Miami 45 yard line.
The stage was set for a Colts comeback as Carpenter kicked to the Colts’ Chad Simpson. Manning was on the field for only 4:47 of the second half when the Colts began their game-winning drive with 3:44 remaining. Reggie Wayne snagged a 15 yard pass on first down and Clark followed with a 17 yard reception to pit the Colts on the Miami 48 yard line. Manning threw an incompletion to Garcon on 1st and ten before he nailed him on the very next play for what would be the winning 48-yard touchdown. Pennington was intercepted on the final play of the game, and the Dolphins’ last ditch attempt to squeeze out a late win. It was another forgettable loss and miserable Monday in Miami as Manning motioned meticulously as an exhilarating one-man wrecking machine. The Dolphins may have had the ball more often, but it was the Colts from Indianapolis that were more efficient.
Parting points: Song of the day: “Nice to Know You” by Incubus
“Good health is the most important thing. More than success, more than money, more than power.”—Hyman Roth
Manning showed supreme confidence and created opportunities for the Colts late in the game. The veteran signal-caller gave his team a chance to win, finishing 14 for 23 and throwing over 300 yards in limited time. The 2-0 Colts scored promptly on their first possession amid an electric atmosphere in Land Shark Stadium. Manning found Dallas Clark wide open on a one-play 80 yard touchdown reception 12 seconds into Monday night’s melee. The Dolphins scored in first quarter on a Ronnie Brown 14 yard run to even the score at 7-7. Brown and Ricky Williams effectively executed the wildcat offense. Together, they rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Williams craftily carried the ball 19 times. Miami outrushed the Colts and completed close to double the first downs, but was still unable to pull together a win. Fins quarterback, Chad Pennington, is prone to some inconsistent passing. The lopsided time of possession was not an advantage for Chad. Pennington did not have a touchdown pass, but was charged with one interception on 183 yards through the air. Miami’s leading receiver, Ted Ginn, Jr, dropped two vital passes in the endzone that could have made the difference last night. Pennington overthrew Ginn on the most important plays, but still managed to complete 11 passes to the former Ohio State receiver.
The Dolphins beating the Colts was imperative, but Manning is Mr. Clutch. Manning earned a record 119 wins with the Colts to break the team record for quarterback. Manning took only three snaps in the third quarter and his team held the ball only three times after halftime. Superbowl star, Adam Vinatieri, footed two field goals in the second quarter (43 and 48 yards) and Dan Carpenter ran for two touchdowns for Miami to keep the teams notched at 13 at the half. Neither team executed in the third quarter but Miami went ahead early in the fourth on a 13 play, 80 yard scoring drive. Brown squirted into the endzone on a three yard burst to give the Dolphins their third lead of the day, 20-13. University of Connecticut tailback, Donald Brown and the Colts responded with ten minutes left. Brown scored on a six yard run to tie the score for the fourth time of the night. The Dolphins fell short of finding the endzone and had to settle for three points on Dan Carpenter’s 45 yard field goal with just over three minutes left in regulation. Miami converted three third downs before the field goal, including a 21 yard pass to Ginn on 3rd and 7 at the Miami 45 yard line.
The stage was set for a Colts comeback as Carpenter kicked to the Colts’ Chad Simpson. Manning was on the field for only 4:47 of the second half when the Colts began their game-winning drive with 3:44 remaining. Reggie Wayne snagged a 15 yard pass on first down and Clark followed with a 17 yard reception to pit the Colts on the Miami 48 yard line. Manning threw an incompletion to Garcon on 1st and ten before he nailed him on the very next play for what would be the winning 48-yard touchdown. Pennington was intercepted on the final play of the game, and the Dolphins’ last ditch attempt to squeeze out a late win. It was another forgettable loss and miserable Monday in Miami as Manning motioned meticulously as an exhilarating one-man wrecking machine. The Dolphins may have had the ball more often, but it was the Colts from Indianapolis that were more efficient.
Parting points: Song of the day: “Nice to Know You” by Incubus
“Good health is the most important thing. More than success, more than money, more than power.”—Hyman Roth
Monday, September 21, 2009
Scorching Sox September Surge
It wasn’t such a pleasant Sunday for New England football fans. Patriot backers had little to cheer about after they marched into the Meadowlands and suffered a meltdown at the hands of Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets. New England led at halftime, but it all went downhill from there. Boston baseball aficionados had more to celebrate and cheer about after the Red Sox inched closer to the AL Wildcard. Boston coasted to their 10th win in 11 games. Sunday’s victory over Baltimore, combined with a Texas Rangers loss, reduced the Red Sox wildcard number to seven. Boston now has an eight game edge over the suddenly slipping Rangers. The Sox outscored the Orioles 23-9 in completing a three game sweep at Camden Yards.
Daisuke Matsuzaka started just his second game since returning from a three-month stay on the disabled list. Matsuzaka allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings as Boston beat Baltimore 9-3. Baltimore’s rookie hurler from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Jason Berken, coughed up six runs in three innings of work. The Red Sox jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first frame on a Jason Bay single and a pair of Mike Lowell RBIs. Bay was playing on his 31st birthday as he returned to the lineup for the series finale in Baltimore. Berken walked two of the first three batters he faced and left his team in a hole before they even stepped to the plate. In the second inning, Victor Martinez crushed a single off the rookie to extend his career best hitting streak to 19 games. Jacoby Ellsbury added a double good for two runs in the second. The ball was clocked with backspin and sliced away from the fielder in left-center. Bay connected off relief pitcher, Chris Waters, two innings later for a 7-0 Red Sox advantage. Bay was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth to drive in his third of the afternoon, and Ellsbury contributed a solo shot in the seventh to account for the remainder of Boston’s runs. The talented centerfield leadoff man was 3 for 4 on the day, with three RBIs and a stolen base. The Orioles only scoring came on a bottom of the fourth Luke Scott two-run tater and a bases loaded walk in the sixth. The pass came off Ramon Ramirez in relief of Matsuzaka.
Bay is having a phenomenal season in only his first full year donning Boston red. He is the leading MVP of the team, and a potential candidate for AL MVP too. His offensive resume is pretty impressive despite a less-than spectacular batting average. Bay’s 35th blast yesterday marked a career high for the All-star outfielder. Kevin Youkilis has also grabbed headlines in Boston with his versatility and plate patience. Youkilis is batting .314 with 85 RBIs and 25 long balls. While the Orioles are not a very good team, the Sox swung the bats well and built on an early lead. Ellsbury was a triple short of hitting for the cycle and the offense took care of business against a less than talented team. The Red Sox are rolling but must hold things together the rest of the season. Rest is important as the teams hit the homestretch and there will be some challenges along the way. But Boston is close to clicking on all cylinders and there is not much room for improvement. The pitching is healthier than it was earlier in the year and starters are locating their pitches more effectively. Clay Bucholtz gutted his way through six innings during his last start, and despite not throwing quality breaking balls or changeups, has matured and emerged as a number three starter. He is 5-0 in his last seven starts. The Sox need him to make pitches and have good command if they expect to succeed beyond September. The pitching staff posted a 1.87 in their last nine games before yesterday. If they can sustain their pitching, the Sox can get within a handful of games as they head into a key matchup with the Yankees next weekend.
Parting Points: Song of the day- “Last Night” by the Strokes
Goodbye Summer!
Daisuke Matsuzaka started just his second game since returning from a three-month stay on the disabled list. Matsuzaka allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings as Boston beat Baltimore 9-3. Baltimore’s rookie hurler from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Jason Berken, coughed up six runs in three innings of work. The Red Sox jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first frame on a Jason Bay single and a pair of Mike Lowell RBIs. Bay was playing on his 31st birthday as he returned to the lineup for the series finale in Baltimore. Berken walked two of the first three batters he faced and left his team in a hole before they even stepped to the plate. In the second inning, Victor Martinez crushed a single off the rookie to extend his career best hitting streak to 19 games. Jacoby Ellsbury added a double good for two runs in the second. The ball was clocked with backspin and sliced away from the fielder in left-center. Bay connected off relief pitcher, Chris Waters, two innings later for a 7-0 Red Sox advantage. Bay was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth to drive in his third of the afternoon, and Ellsbury contributed a solo shot in the seventh to account for the remainder of Boston’s runs. The talented centerfield leadoff man was 3 for 4 on the day, with three RBIs and a stolen base. The Orioles only scoring came on a bottom of the fourth Luke Scott two-run tater and a bases loaded walk in the sixth. The pass came off Ramon Ramirez in relief of Matsuzaka.
Bay is having a phenomenal season in only his first full year donning Boston red. He is the leading MVP of the team, and a potential candidate for AL MVP too. His offensive resume is pretty impressive despite a less-than spectacular batting average. Bay’s 35th blast yesterday marked a career high for the All-star outfielder. Kevin Youkilis has also grabbed headlines in Boston with his versatility and plate patience. Youkilis is batting .314 with 85 RBIs and 25 long balls. While the Orioles are not a very good team, the Sox swung the bats well and built on an early lead. Ellsbury was a triple short of hitting for the cycle and the offense took care of business against a less than talented team. The Red Sox are rolling but must hold things together the rest of the season. Rest is important as the teams hit the homestretch and there will be some challenges along the way. But Boston is close to clicking on all cylinders and there is not much room for improvement. The pitching is healthier than it was earlier in the year and starters are locating their pitches more effectively. Clay Bucholtz gutted his way through six innings during his last start, and despite not throwing quality breaking balls or changeups, has matured and emerged as a number three starter. He is 5-0 in his last seven starts. The Sox need him to make pitches and have good command if they expect to succeed beyond September. The pitching staff posted a 1.87 in their last nine games before yesterday. If they can sustain their pitching, the Sox can get within a handful of games as they head into a key matchup with the Yankees next weekend.
Parting Points: Song of the day- “Last Night” by the Strokes
Goodbye Summer!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Bright Beginning
Cowboys ride into a new stadium tonight
Giant white jerseys will spin in the bright light
The atmosphere explosive for the home team
A quarterback in blue stands with a beam
His signature sharp steadfast smile
Welcomes fans as they clear the aisle
A capacity crowd with unrealistic demands
Shout ridiculous scores from the shiny stands
Their heads held high, the men huddle together
Thoughts and hands collide in the center and tether
An elevated retractable roof raised radiantly
Party suites and platform decks scattered soundly
Tonight, a spectacle to behold
Tackles and throws, play-calls so bold
Two truly great teams converge for supremacy
A fresh beginning, emboldened by me
Giant white jerseys will spin in the bright light
The atmosphere explosive for the home team
A quarterback in blue stands with a beam
His signature sharp steadfast smile
Welcomes fans as they clear the aisle
A capacity crowd with unrealistic demands
Shout ridiculous scores from the shiny stands
Their heads held high, the men huddle together
Thoughts and hands collide in the center and tether
An elevated retractable roof raised radiantly
Party suites and platform decks scattered soundly
Tonight, a spectacle to behold
Tackles and throws, play-calls so bold
Two truly great teams converge for supremacy
A fresh beginning, emboldened by me
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Anniversaries, Arms and Accolades
Today is the one year anniversary of my blog, and the 300th post. Baseball Almanac lists twenty four 300 game winners in baseball. The number denotes a special accomplishment in the game. It seems to be the measuring stick players aspire to attain. Especially in our era of stronger sluggers, smaller parks, fewer innings pitched and performance-enhancing drugs, winning 300 games is not easy. Managers often pull young hurlers from their starts after six or seven innings, no matter how stellar the performance. Games are being won by bullpens expected to play mop-up duty and keep games close until the offense erupts. The role of the relief pitcher has expanded throughout the generations of players who put on a uniform to play this grand game. It’s harder to win a ballgame as a starting because of the new baseball dynamics that focus on offense and late-inning relief. The complete game shutout is a rare act today.
A few of the 24 men in baseball’s 300 club played in the 1800’s. Pud Galvin, Tim Keefe, John Clarkson, Old Hoss Rodbourn, and Mickey Welch were models of consistency in their day. Galvin broke into the major leagues as a 22 year old right-hander with the Buffalo Bison. He won his 300th game as a member of the NL’s Pittsburgh Pirates in September, 1888. Keefe, also known as “Smiling Tim”, notched his 342nd game with the New York Giants against Boston. It was his final win of the 1890 season. Players back then only had to throw from 50 feet with dominance, but it is still quite an accomplishment to be placed on the historical list.
Cy Young leads all pitchers in wins, with 511. It’s doubtful his long-standing record will be broken anytime soon. Today, it takes two terrific tossers to trounce 500 wins between them. Young’s pitching effort was so fine, the league named an award after him. The name Cy Young is synonymous with pitching excellence. Young amassed more wins and innings pitched than any other player in history, and his record still stands in this century. Young pitched in 1892 when there were three leagues competing against each other. The quality of play was far better than most people acknowledge, making his mound work even more impressive. Cy was the toast of the town in Boston before the Red Sox even came into existence. Years later, in 1941, Boston would have another 300 game winner in Robert Moses “Lefty” Grove. The southpaw hit 300 on the dot the year he retired and finished the ’41 season with a 300-141 career record. The Hall-of-Famer hurler is considered one of the greatest ever.
A pair of Toms, Seaver and Glavine, are forever linked in baseball lore. Both threw for the New York Mets, but only Glavine earned win number 300 with the team. Seaver, a right-hander, was the first face of the Mets’ franchise. “Tom Terrific” played for four different teams, but is most remembered as the heart and soul of the Amazins. The National League Rookie of the Year in 1967 went on to win 311 contests by the time he hung up the cleats in 1985. Seaver’s exit from New York (after his second stint with the team) landed him with the Chicago White Sox and paved the way for Dwight Gooden to be in the Mets’ rotation. The characteristic Tom had a just as conventional windup. Glavine pitched his finest days as an Atlanta Brave before he was traded the New York. The lefty worked the count well and painted the corners with a mix of fastballs, curveballs and change-ups. Glavine was a polished post-season pitcher and his World Series stats border on staggering. The majestic hurler was just 4-3 in the Fall Classic but his ERA was 2.16.
Nolan Ryan didn’t take a long time to soar to stardom, and he will go down in baseball history as one of the greatest. I know he was the best pitcher I ever saw handle the mound. Number 34, The Express, played in a major league record 27 seasons and recorded pitches of over 100 mph even into his 40’s. As a ripe 19 year old kid, the rookie was signed by the New York Mets. Ryan went on to play for the Angels, Astros and Rangers, respectively. His 5,714 strikeouts rank first in baseball history and he is the all-time leader in no-hitters, with seven. The Hall-Of-Famer finished with 324 wins nineteen years ago. When it came to execution, no pitcher exemplified brilliance like Ryan.
Walter Johnson is second and Grover Alexander and Christy Mathewson are tied for third on baseball’s all-time wins list. Johnson has 417 wins and Alexander and Mathewson won 373. The great Warren Spahn trails them by 10 wins, with 363. Spahn was a gifted left-hander who pitched until he was 40 years old. He is an advertisement for greatness because he pitched all his 21 years in the National League, winning 20 games in thirteen big league seasons. Spahn won more games than any other southpaw, which created the award that bears his name to the game’s best lefty. The Buffalo, New York native, Spahn, was the ace of the pennant-winning Braves in 1948, 1957 and 1958.
Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens, Gaylord Perry and Don Sutton are also on the 300 game winner list, as are 1900’s star, Kid Nichols and knuckleballer, Phil Niekro. Randy Johnson is the newest addition to the club, and maybe the last we will see for a long time. Johnson won his 300th game last year. Gaylord Perry, Early Wynn, Eddie Plank and Philadelphia’s post-season hero, Steve Carlton, are also on the list. I hope the 300 club remains exclusive, but it would be special to see a few more modern-day players reach pitching prominence.
Parting Points: “Amor, no es amor, then what am I feeling? What am I doing wrong?”- Frankie J’s “Obsession”
A few of the 24 men in baseball’s 300 club played in the 1800’s. Pud Galvin, Tim Keefe, John Clarkson, Old Hoss Rodbourn, and Mickey Welch were models of consistency in their day. Galvin broke into the major leagues as a 22 year old right-hander with the Buffalo Bison. He won his 300th game as a member of the NL’s Pittsburgh Pirates in September, 1888. Keefe, also known as “Smiling Tim”, notched his 342nd game with the New York Giants against Boston. It was his final win of the 1890 season. Players back then only had to throw from 50 feet with dominance, but it is still quite an accomplishment to be placed on the historical list.
Cy Young leads all pitchers in wins, with 511. It’s doubtful his long-standing record will be broken anytime soon. Today, it takes two terrific tossers to trounce 500 wins between them. Young’s pitching effort was so fine, the league named an award after him. The name Cy Young is synonymous with pitching excellence. Young amassed more wins and innings pitched than any other player in history, and his record still stands in this century. Young pitched in 1892 when there were three leagues competing against each other. The quality of play was far better than most people acknowledge, making his mound work even more impressive. Cy was the toast of the town in Boston before the Red Sox even came into existence. Years later, in 1941, Boston would have another 300 game winner in Robert Moses “Lefty” Grove. The southpaw hit 300 on the dot the year he retired and finished the ’41 season with a 300-141 career record. The Hall-of-Famer hurler is considered one of the greatest ever.
A pair of Toms, Seaver and Glavine, are forever linked in baseball lore. Both threw for the New York Mets, but only Glavine earned win number 300 with the team. Seaver, a right-hander, was the first face of the Mets’ franchise. “Tom Terrific” played for four different teams, but is most remembered as the heart and soul of the Amazins. The National League Rookie of the Year in 1967 went on to win 311 contests by the time he hung up the cleats in 1985. Seaver’s exit from New York (after his second stint with the team) landed him with the Chicago White Sox and paved the way for Dwight Gooden to be in the Mets’ rotation. The characteristic Tom had a just as conventional windup. Glavine pitched his finest days as an Atlanta Brave before he was traded the New York. The lefty worked the count well and painted the corners with a mix of fastballs, curveballs and change-ups. Glavine was a polished post-season pitcher and his World Series stats border on staggering. The majestic hurler was just 4-3 in the Fall Classic but his ERA was 2.16.
Nolan Ryan didn’t take a long time to soar to stardom, and he will go down in baseball history as one of the greatest. I know he was the best pitcher I ever saw handle the mound. Number 34, The Express, played in a major league record 27 seasons and recorded pitches of over 100 mph even into his 40’s. As a ripe 19 year old kid, the rookie was signed by the New York Mets. Ryan went on to play for the Angels, Astros and Rangers, respectively. His 5,714 strikeouts rank first in baseball history and he is the all-time leader in no-hitters, with seven. The Hall-Of-Famer finished with 324 wins nineteen years ago. When it came to execution, no pitcher exemplified brilliance like Ryan.
Walter Johnson is second and Grover Alexander and Christy Mathewson are tied for third on baseball’s all-time wins list. Johnson has 417 wins and Alexander and Mathewson won 373. The great Warren Spahn trails them by 10 wins, with 363. Spahn was a gifted left-hander who pitched until he was 40 years old. He is an advertisement for greatness because he pitched all his 21 years in the National League, winning 20 games in thirteen big league seasons. Spahn won more games than any other southpaw, which created the award that bears his name to the game’s best lefty. The Buffalo, New York native, Spahn, was the ace of the pennant-winning Braves in 1948, 1957 and 1958.
Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens, Gaylord Perry and Don Sutton are also on the 300 game winner list, as are 1900’s star, Kid Nichols and knuckleballer, Phil Niekro. Randy Johnson is the newest addition to the club, and maybe the last we will see for a long time. Johnson won his 300th game last year. Gaylord Perry, Early Wynn, Eddie Plank and Philadelphia’s post-season hero, Steve Carlton, are also on the list. I hope the 300 club remains exclusive, but it would be special to see a few more modern-day players reach pitching prominence.
Parting Points: “Amor, no es amor, then what am I feeling? What am I doing wrong?”- Frankie J’s “Obsession”
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Thursday Take-Twos
Ohio State will be without offensive lineman, Jim Cordle, for at least the next three weeks. The star right tackle for the Buckeyes suffered an ankle injury that has gotten steadily worse. The severity of the fifth year senior’s ankle means J.B. Shugarts or Mike Adams will fill in. The 1-1 Buckeyes play at Toledo this week in the Cleveland Browns’ stadium. OSU is a 20 ½ point favorite over the 1-1 TU team coached by Tim Beckham. Beckham worked under OSU coach, Jim Tressel as the Buckeyes’ defensive backs coach from 2005-06. The Toledo Rockets are no push-over, and Ohio State will have to be on their game. Last week, the University of Toledo manhandled Colorado, crushing the Buffs with more than 600 yards of offense. The Buckeyes present a different monster on defense, but Toledo has scored 85 points in only their first two games of the year. After the miserable loss to USC a week ago, the Buckeyes have plenty to prove. They should not underestimate their week three opponents from the same state. The Buckeyes’ ranking dropped out of the top ten after last week’s flattening. (11th)
These pennant races are definitely heated. Between the Jorge Posada-Jesse Carlson fight and the Nick Green missed strike three call, drama is gynormous on the diamond. New York Yankee backstop, Posada and Toronto hurler, Carlson, were suspended three games and fined for their roles in the benches-clearing brawl in the Bronx Wednesday. The intensity should be condoned and Posada did his best to rectify the situation. Still, the poor incriminating behavior is inexcusable by both sides. The Yankees, unfortunately, have much more to lose by having their players suspended. The Red Sox and Yankees both won on walk-off hits Wednesday night. Pinch-hitter, Nick Green, failed twice to get a third strike call on him and ended up drawing a bases-loaded walk to tie the score. Alex Gonzalez then chipped a blooper down the left field line for the game winner with two outs in the ninth. Boston has the Angels’ number, especially at Fenway. The AL West leaders just can’t seem to win in Boston, and if they teams face off in the post-season, you have to reward the Red Sox the upper hand. The euphoria continued last night as the Red Sox rallied to win their seventh straight game. Boston is on a roll and appears on an unstoppable voyage to claiming the AL wildcard. Their 9-8 victory over the Angels give the Sox a comfortable 6 ½ games lead over the Texas Rangers. The Rangers can’t beat anybody these days. Oakland swept them out of their own stadium to complete their first three-game sweep in three months. The Rangers have scored just one run during their recent four game losing streak. To their credit, Texas is playing without injured starters, Michael Young and Josh Hamilton. The utter possibility of missing the playoffs is becoming more apparent as the summer days dwindle in the Texas sun.
The Patriots are overhyped, but still the most feared team in the AFC. Rex Ryan, the New York Jets head coach, phoned season ticket holders yesterday. Ryan urged Gang Green fans to come to Sunday’s game against New England and show their support. The Jets aren’t quite issuing their version of a Joe Namath guarantee, but the confident New York team is ready to take on their greatest rival, with Tom Brady calling plays. You have to feel sorry for the Buffalo Bills. First, they lose their season opener because of a fumble and great comeback by Brady. They actually looked like an improved team as they held the lead in the fourth quarter last Monday night. However, the Bills are known for collapsing late, and of course they did it again. Secondly, the player who fumbled, Leodis McKelvin, had his front lawn vandalized by local teens. It must be frustrating to be a fan of the Bills, but it is also embarrassing. Finally, T. O. couldn’t keep his mouth shut about the loss. He knocked his quarterback, coach, teammates and just about everyone but himself when pinpointing the blame. It’s hard to live with the fact you’re a Bills fan if that’s what you are.
Parting points: "They've got to be some of the most unhappy people in the world, and I feel bad because we just made them less happy, and I hate to be a part of making someone less happy. I mean, they're already miserable."- Jim Tressel talking about OSU fan emails
Opponents ARE outrushing the Buckeyes by more than 30 yards a game. Maybe the fans have a reason to vent their complaints.
These pennant races are definitely heated. Between the Jorge Posada-Jesse Carlson fight and the Nick Green missed strike three call, drama is gynormous on the diamond. New York Yankee backstop, Posada and Toronto hurler, Carlson, were suspended three games and fined for their roles in the benches-clearing brawl in the Bronx Wednesday. The intensity should be condoned and Posada did his best to rectify the situation. Still, the poor incriminating behavior is inexcusable by both sides. The Yankees, unfortunately, have much more to lose by having their players suspended. The Red Sox and Yankees both won on walk-off hits Wednesday night. Pinch-hitter, Nick Green, failed twice to get a third strike call on him and ended up drawing a bases-loaded walk to tie the score. Alex Gonzalez then chipped a blooper down the left field line for the game winner with two outs in the ninth. Boston has the Angels’ number, especially at Fenway. The AL West leaders just can’t seem to win in Boston, and if they teams face off in the post-season, you have to reward the Red Sox the upper hand. The euphoria continued last night as the Red Sox rallied to win their seventh straight game. Boston is on a roll and appears on an unstoppable voyage to claiming the AL wildcard. Their 9-8 victory over the Angels give the Sox a comfortable 6 ½ games lead over the Texas Rangers. The Rangers can’t beat anybody these days. Oakland swept them out of their own stadium to complete their first three-game sweep in three months. The Rangers have scored just one run during their recent four game losing streak. To their credit, Texas is playing without injured starters, Michael Young and Josh Hamilton. The utter possibility of missing the playoffs is becoming more apparent as the summer days dwindle in the Texas sun.
The Patriots are overhyped, but still the most feared team in the AFC. Rex Ryan, the New York Jets head coach, phoned season ticket holders yesterday. Ryan urged Gang Green fans to come to Sunday’s game against New England and show their support. The Jets aren’t quite issuing their version of a Joe Namath guarantee, but the confident New York team is ready to take on their greatest rival, with Tom Brady calling plays. You have to feel sorry for the Buffalo Bills. First, they lose their season opener because of a fumble and great comeback by Brady. They actually looked like an improved team as they held the lead in the fourth quarter last Monday night. However, the Bills are known for collapsing late, and of course they did it again. Secondly, the player who fumbled, Leodis McKelvin, had his front lawn vandalized by local teens. It must be frustrating to be a fan of the Bills, but it is also embarrassing. Finally, T. O. couldn’t keep his mouth shut about the loss. He knocked his quarterback, coach, teammates and just about everyone but himself when pinpointing the blame. It’s hard to live with the fact you’re a Bills fan if that’s what you are.
Parting points: "They've got to be some of the most unhappy people in the world, and I feel bad because we just made them less happy, and I hate to be a part of making someone less happy. I mean, they're already miserable."- Jim Tressel talking about OSU fan emails
Opponents ARE outrushing the Buckeyes by more than 30 yards a game. Maybe the fans have a reason to vent their complaints.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Bye Brand
I’m not sure it would have been possible to accomplish everything I did as a college athlete without Myles Brand running the NCAA. The former President died this afternoon at the dear age of 67. Brand succumbed to pancreatic cancer. He was the first leader to serve as a university President and the Association’s chief executive. Brand and I shared more than the same birthday (May 17th). We also held academics and athletics in high regard. Both go hand-in-hand in the development of perspicacious adults.
The buckled student-athlete association known simply as the NCAA was rebuilt and reestablished on Brand’s academic reform. The president of Indiana and Oregon was a strong advocate for interscholastic athletics. He called for institutions to moderate athletic spending and better integrate sports into higher education. Brand’s unyielding demand for intercollegiate athletics to represent the values of the university was paramount among his goals. He established rules and oversaw the changing landscape of college athletics with determined authority. Brand’s prestigious position as President of the governing body controlling athletics enabled him to be a real role model.
Brand is well-known for firing the fiery basketball coaching legend, Bobby Knight. He was thrust into the spotlight after incurring the wrath of the state of Indiana after Knight’s release. I don’t remember those days. I do remember him as the principal founder and figurehead of the NCAA rules committee. He also introduced the Academic Progress Rate (APR) that affects the way athletes are directed to their college degrees. Teams pay a price if their student-athletes don’t keep up in the classroom. They lose scholarships, playing time and sometimes, post-season appearances. The inclusion of the APR was beneficial because it forced young men and women athletes to focus on academics. I always considered it a privilege, not a right, to play Division III tennis. I may not have had the opportunity to participate if Brand did not keep the NCAA an organized association. Athletic spending and hiring coaches is very much a part of every university today. Sometimes we invest too much interest in sports in our society. The college athlete, to me, is most special. Brand made it his mission to ensure all college-bound athletes the prospect of competing while keeping a vision about sound academic environments. His boundless and impeccable fortitude set the guidelines of today’s intercollegiate athletics. Brand’s replacement will have big shoes to fill.
Parting points: Song for today-“Uprising” by Muse
The buckled student-athlete association known simply as the NCAA was rebuilt and reestablished on Brand’s academic reform. The president of Indiana and Oregon was a strong advocate for interscholastic athletics. He called for institutions to moderate athletic spending and better integrate sports into higher education. Brand’s unyielding demand for intercollegiate athletics to represent the values of the university was paramount among his goals. He established rules and oversaw the changing landscape of college athletics with determined authority. Brand’s prestigious position as President of the governing body controlling athletics enabled him to be a real role model.
Brand is well-known for firing the fiery basketball coaching legend, Bobby Knight. He was thrust into the spotlight after incurring the wrath of the state of Indiana after Knight’s release. I don’t remember those days. I do remember him as the principal founder and figurehead of the NCAA rules committee. He also introduced the Academic Progress Rate (APR) that affects the way athletes are directed to their college degrees. Teams pay a price if their student-athletes don’t keep up in the classroom. They lose scholarships, playing time and sometimes, post-season appearances. The inclusion of the APR was beneficial because it forced young men and women athletes to focus on academics. I always considered it a privilege, not a right, to play Division III tennis. I may not have had the opportunity to participate if Brand did not keep the NCAA an organized association. Athletic spending and hiring coaches is very much a part of every university today. Sometimes we invest too much interest in sports in our society. The college athlete, to me, is most special. Brand made it his mission to ensure all college-bound athletes the prospect of competing while keeping a vision about sound academic environments. His boundless and impeccable fortitude set the guidelines of today’s intercollegiate athletics. Brand’s replacement will have big shoes to fill.
Parting points: Song for today-“Uprising” by Muse
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Federer's Flushing Finish
A 20 year old Argentine accomplished an unthinkable upset Monday night at the U.S. Open. Juan Martin Del Portro won the first Grand Slam final he reached by defeating six-time defending champion, Roger Federer. The swift Swede was taken to a fifth set in the epic quarrel in front of 24,000 cheering fans. Del Portro dropped the first set 3-6 before he delivered an historic comeback and one of the tournament’s greatest upsets.
The tallest player to win a U.S. Open and first Argentine to capture the title since Guillermo Vilas 32 years ago, Del Portro began to drive his groundstrokes in the second set. Federer was on the verge of snagging the second set when he led 5-4. Roger was serving to close it out when Del Portro battled back to even the score 5-5. Del Portro drilled a questionable forehand winner that Federer believed was out. The shot just hit the sideline and Del Portro declared the second set his in a tiebreaker. After Federer lost the second set and questioned the line judge, he never seemed to regain his composure. Del Portro was the confident swinger, nailing 37 dominant forehand winners during the entire match. Federer objected to the amount of time Del Portro was getting to make challenges throughout the third set. The reigning king of the court was visibly flustered as he went ahead again by bagging the third set, 6-4.
Del Portro won his second set, the fourth overall of the match, in another tiebreaker. He steadied himself impressively after several unforced errors and double faults in the third set. Even when Federer was two points from winning his seventh consecutive U.S. Open, Del Portro scooped his trophy chances right off the blue court with his sweeping forehands. Federer looked shaky to start the fifth and final set, and never regaining the lead. Del Portro took complete control of the final set at Arthur Ashe Stadium to raise himself to the top of the tennis world. He is the only player not named Rafael Nadal to seize a victory over Roger in Flushing and the first to beat him in New York since 2003. Ironically, the man born outside Buenos Aires had to first shut down Nadal in the semifinal round. Del Portro is the only man to defeat both Nadal and Federer in the same slam.
Del Portro lost to Andy Murray 12 months ago but earned his credibility last night. He is already a more dangerous player he was a year ago and proved so while delivering a beating and owning the court against Federer. In the semifinals, Del Portro allowed Nadal to win just six tantalizing games and a day later terrifically thumped the number one player in the world. The tall Argentine was mistiming almost everything Federer offered up in the first set. But he heated up and focused in the second set and dispensed an admirable 2009 U.S. Open.
Parting points: Song of the day- “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen
The tallest player to win a U.S. Open and first Argentine to capture the title since Guillermo Vilas 32 years ago, Del Portro began to drive his groundstrokes in the second set. Federer was on the verge of snagging the second set when he led 5-4. Roger was serving to close it out when Del Portro battled back to even the score 5-5. Del Portro drilled a questionable forehand winner that Federer believed was out. The shot just hit the sideline and Del Portro declared the second set his in a tiebreaker. After Federer lost the second set and questioned the line judge, he never seemed to regain his composure. Del Portro was the confident swinger, nailing 37 dominant forehand winners during the entire match. Federer objected to the amount of time Del Portro was getting to make challenges throughout the third set. The reigning king of the court was visibly flustered as he went ahead again by bagging the third set, 6-4.
Del Portro won his second set, the fourth overall of the match, in another tiebreaker. He steadied himself impressively after several unforced errors and double faults in the third set. Even when Federer was two points from winning his seventh consecutive U.S. Open, Del Portro scooped his trophy chances right off the blue court with his sweeping forehands. Federer looked shaky to start the fifth and final set, and never regaining the lead. Del Portro took complete control of the final set at Arthur Ashe Stadium to raise himself to the top of the tennis world. He is the only player not named Rafael Nadal to seize a victory over Roger in Flushing and the first to beat him in New York since 2003. Ironically, the man born outside Buenos Aires had to first shut down Nadal in the semifinal round. Del Portro is the only man to defeat both Nadal and Federer in the same slam.
Del Portro lost to Andy Murray 12 months ago but earned his credibility last night. He is already a more dangerous player he was a year ago and proved so while delivering a beating and owning the court against Federer. In the semifinals, Del Portro allowed Nadal to win just six tantalizing games and a day later terrifically thumped the number one player in the world. The tall Argentine was mistiming almost everything Federer offered up in the first set. But he heated up and focused in the second set and dispensed an admirable 2009 U.S. Open.
Parting points: Song of the day- “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen
Monday, September 14, 2009
Romo Revival
The collapse in Columbus was soon forgotten when the Dallas Cowboys mustered a mercurial win to revive this football fan’s disheartened spirit Sunday. Dallas quarterback, Tony Romo and his rocket arm romped all over the Tampa turf in a 34-21 ripping of the Buccaneers. Romo launched a career-best 353 yards through the air and fired three touchdown passes that keyed the road victory for Dallas in week one.
Romo endured the post-T.O era with a new cast of characters. Patrick Crayton teamed with Romo for four catches, including the longest of the quarterback’s career. Romo tossed an 80-yard pass in the fourth quarter to the 30 year old receiver for a late touchdown that put the game out of reach for Tampa. Crayton compiled 135 total yards as Dallas stymied the Bucs. Last season’s trade deadline acquisition, Roy Williams, had a standout day as the team’s leading receiver. The 6’3” Williams caught a pass in the third quarter to give the Cowboys a 20-7 lead. He also used his tackling and blocking prowess to allow the Dallas running game to flourish. The speedy former Detroit Lion receiver amassed 86 yards on three receptions and looked very much like a complete player. Miles Austin and Jason Witten were both additional positive performers during the Cowboy’s electric start to the NFL season.
Romo completed touchdown passes of 42, 66 and 80 yards to his open men. The Cowboys dominated the clock in Romo’s third straight opening day win in a row. Romo didn’t throw an interception during the game. He found Austin for the go-ahead touchdown, a 42 yarder, just before the half. In the second half, Williams punched in six points after he split Tampa’s secondary. Cornerback, Ronde Barber and safety, Jermaine Williams, were beaten in their attempt to cover Williams, and the Cowboy skated into the endzone. Romo flicked the deepest toss on the second play of the fourth quarter to Crayton. Romo pump-faked a pass to Witten, leaving Clayton to run 50 yards untouched. A penalty wiped out an interception by Mike Jenkins before the 11 play, 84 yard drive. Dallas collected two field goals in the first quarter and added a six yard run by the talented Marion Barber in the final minutes of the game.
The Bucs were unable to find the endzone in the first quarter. Tampa Bay scored on a one yard run by Carnell Williams to finally get on the board in the second quarter. Byron Leftwich, the veteran Bucs signal-caller, passed for 276 yards behind center. His one touchdown pass occurred during the last quarter, a 2 yard spiral to Kellen Winslow, Jr. Tampa won the net rushing yard and penalty yard margins, but the Cowboys were too swift on defense. The Bucs had to abandon the running game as Dallas continued to rack up digits. Interestingly, Dallas did not record a sack led by 7th year pro, DeMarcus Ware’s defense. A year after their December collapse, both teams looked shaky in the start. The Cowboys bounced back and the Bucs were unable to put together solid drives with significant results. Williams had a beastly 97 yards on the ground with his 13 carries. Tampa showed it has the temperament to be a dangerous team with more time to coordinate. Dallas exploited the weaknesses in the secondary to gather the big plays that made the difference.
The Cowboys host the New York Giants in week two and will play their first regular season game in their beautiful new stadium. The Cowboys showed their explosiveness, All-pro enormity and offensive talent yesterday. They should be ready for their nasty New York NFC nemesis.
Parting points: Kudos to Clisters; Boo-hoo to Serena.
Song of the day- “Rockabye” by Shawn Mullins (for you Mom)
Romo endured the post-T.O era with a new cast of characters. Patrick Crayton teamed with Romo for four catches, including the longest of the quarterback’s career. Romo tossed an 80-yard pass in the fourth quarter to the 30 year old receiver for a late touchdown that put the game out of reach for Tampa. Crayton compiled 135 total yards as Dallas stymied the Bucs. Last season’s trade deadline acquisition, Roy Williams, had a standout day as the team’s leading receiver. The 6’3” Williams caught a pass in the third quarter to give the Cowboys a 20-7 lead. He also used his tackling and blocking prowess to allow the Dallas running game to flourish. The speedy former Detroit Lion receiver amassed 86 yards on three receptions and looked very much like a complete player. Miles Austin and Jason Witten were both additional positive performers during the Cowboy’s electric start to the NFL season.
Romo completed touchdown passes of 42, 66 and 80 yards to his open men. The Cowboys dominated the clock in Romo’s third straight opening day win in a row. Romo didn’t throw an interception during the game. He found Austin for the go-ahead touchdown, a 42 yarder, just before the half. In the second half, Williams punched in six points after he split Tampa’s secondary. Cornerback, Ronde Barber and safety, Jermaine Williams, were beaten in their attempt to cover Williams, and the Cowboy skated into the endzone. Romo flicked the deepest toss on the second play of the fourth quarter to Crayton. Romo pump-faked a pass to Witten, leaving Clayton to run 50 yards untouched. A penalty wiped out an interception by Mike Jenkins before the 11 play, 84 yard drive. Dallas collected two field goals in the first quarter and added a six yard run by the talented Marion Barber in the final minutes of the game.
The Bucs were unable to find the endzone in the first quarter. Tampa Bay scored on a one yard run by Carnell Williams to finally get on the board in the second quarter. Byron Leftwich, the veteran Bucs signal-caller, passed for 276 yards behind center. His one touchdown pass occurred during the last quarter, a 2 yard spiral to Kellen Winslow, Jr. Tampa won the net rushing yard and penalty yard margins, but the Cowboys were too swift on defense. The Bucs had to abandon the running game as Dallas continued to rack up digits. Interestingly, Dallas did not record a sack led by 7th year pro, DeMarcus Ware’s defense. A year after their December collapse, both teams looked shaky in the start. The Cowboys bounced back and the Bucs were unable to put together solid drives with significant results. Williams had a beastly 97 yards on the ground with his 13 carries. Tampa showed it has the temperament to be a dangerous team with more time to coordinate. Dallas exploited the weaknesses in the secondary to gather the big plays that made the difference.
The Cowboys host the New York Giants in week two and will play their first regular season game in their beautiful new stadium. The Cowboys showed their explosiveness, All-pro enormity and offensive talent yesterday. They should be ready for their nasty New York NFC nemesis.
Parting points: Kudos to Clisters; Boo-hoo to Serena.
Song of the day- “Rockabye” by Shawn Mullins (for you Mom)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Supercharged Southern Showdown at the 'Shoe
True freshman quarterback, Matt Barkley, and the USC Trojans invade the Horseshoe in Columbus tonight. Frustrated Ohio State fans consider this the game of the year. National title implications are on the line for both teams. The winner still has a chance to play for a championship; the loser is guaranteed a tough road to a top BCS bowl. Sophomore spiral-throwing signal caller, Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes would like nothing more than to send the Trojans away with a roar. Jim Tressel’s scarlet and gray look to eclipse Pete Carroll’s prestigious powerhouse pack from Southern California.
Barkley handled his first test with a 15 for 19, 233 yard opening statement against San Jose State. The 19 year old threw for one touchdown and looked comfortable in USC’s 56-3 rout. The Ohio Stadium lights, a national television audience and a Buckeyes team still smarting from last year’s passing are a bit different setting for week two. Last season, the Trojans bruised the Buckeyes and their reputation by besting them 35-3. Carroll’s squad has defeated Ohio State six straight times, including three Rose Bowl wins. USC still brings a talented crop of offensive standouts, and a dizzying array of quality running backs. The knights of Columbus will have to stop those USC explosive gains and limit the production of running back, Joe McKnight and big-play receiver, Damian Williams. If Barkley has time to choose his receivers, the Trojans will quickly gobble up yards in the same manner they did last year. The Trojans rushed for 342 yards against the San Jose Spartans a week ago. The six touchdowns scored forced the Spartans to bring an extra defender for run support. Ohio State’s defense must press Barkley to make difficult throws and stop the run without exposing its secondary. It is also critical the Buckeyes do not fall behind early. If Pryor has to throw the ball often to catch up, he is inclined to make more mistakes from the pressure of the USC defense.
The Buckeyes nearly dropped their home opener against non-BCS opponent, Navy. Despite the Midshipmen reputation as a respectable football team, no academy school should outmuscle the class of the Big 10. Communication could be a problem for the OSU lineman. Pryor has the acknowledged ability to be a mobile quarterback when necessary, but it will only work when the line is on the same page. The sophomore’s knack for escaping the pocket should keep the Trojans honest and limit blitzes. The 6’6” Pryor has tantalizing speed for his size and the USC defense lost most of its big names from a year ago. Three of those defenders were taken in the first 38 NFL draft picks. Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews and Rey Maualuga are gone.
The friendly confines of the Coliseum will obviously not be there to comfort Barkley in his first road game. Ohio State must vigorously take advantage of their home crowd and unseasoned opponent. The collegian Pryor has taken on an expanded role since his last meeting with the Trojans. In 2008, he backed up Todd Boeckman and saw little playing time in Southern California. Pryor hopes to assert himself as the best quarterback tonight. Last week, the Midshipmen presented a different defensive style that limited the deep balls thrown from number 2. OSU’s vertical passing game should get a boost this week with Dane Sanzenbacher, DeVair Posey and Jake Ballard, the main offensive targets. Ohio State seems armed and ready for this Saturday scuffle. Buckeye faithful want to see a tight Trojans team on display this evening. OSU’s demoralizing defeat last year is enough motivation for a Trojan toppling. The work on the field will tell the tale as onlookers in the Horseshoe prepare.
Parting Points: Congratulations to the Yankee captain, Derek Jeter. What else more is there to say?
Song of the day- “Don’t Worry Baby” by the Beach Boys
“Aren’t you going to show a little irony and pity?”- The Sun Also Rises
Barkley handled his first test with a 15 for 19, 233 yard opening statement against San Jose State. The 19 year old threw for one touchdown and looked comfortable in USC’s 56-3 rout. The Ohio Stadium lights, a national television audience and a Buckeyes team still smarting from last year’s passing are a bit different setting for week two. Last season, the Trojans bruised the Buckeyes and their reputation by besting them 35-3. Carroll’s squad has defeated Ohio State six straight times, including three Rose Bowl wins. USC still brings a talented crop of offensive standouts, and a dizzying array of quality running backs. The knights of Columbus will have to stop those USC explosive gains and limit the production of running back, Joe McKnight and big-play receiver, Damian Williams. If Barkley has time to choose his receivers, the Trojans will quickly gobble up yards in the same manner they did last year. The Trojans rushed for 342 yards against the San Jose Spartans a week ago. The six touchdowns scored forced the Spartans to bring an extra defender for run support. Ohio State’s defense must press Barkley to make difficult throws and stop the run without exposing its secondary. It is also critical the Buckeyes do not fall behind early. If Pryor has to throw the ball often to catch up, he is inclined to make more mistakes from the pressure of the USC defense.
The Buckeyes nearly dropped their home opener against non-BCS opponent, Navy. Despite the Midshipmen reputation as a respectable football team, no academy school should outmuscle the class of the Big 10. Communication could be a problem for the OSU lineman. Pryor has the acknowledged ability to be a mobile quarterback when necessary, but it will only work when the line is on the same page. The sophomore’s knack for escaping the pocket should keep the Trojans honest and limit blitzes. The 6’6” Pryor has tantalizing speed for his size and the USC defense lost most of its big names from a year ago. Three of those defenders were taken in the first 38 NFL draft picks. Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews and Rey Maualuga are gone.
The friendly confines of the Coliseum will obviously not be there to comfort Barkley in his first road game. Ohio State must vigorously take advantage of their home crowd and unseasoned opponent. The collegian Pryor has taken on an expanded role since his last meeting with the Trojans. In 2008, he backed up Todd Boeckman and saw little playing time in Southern California. Pryor hopes to assert himself as the best quarterback tonight. Last week, the Midshipmen presented a different defensive style that limited the deep balls thrown from number 2. OSU’s vertical passing game should get a boost this week with Dane Sanzenbacher, DeVair Posey and Jake Ballard, the main offensive targets. Ohio State seems armed and ready for this Saturday scuffle. Buckeye faithful want to see a tight Trojans team on display this evening. OSU’s demoralizing defeat last year is enough motivation for a Trojan toppling. The work on the field will tell the tale as onlookers in the Horseshoe prepare.
Parting Points: Congratulations to the Yankee captain, Derek Jeter. What else more is there to say?
Song of the day- “Don’t Worry Baby” by the Beach Boys
“Aren’t you going to show a little irony and pity?”- The Sun Also Rises
Friday, September 11, 2009
9/11
A day to remember
To never forget
An everlasting sailor
On an unsteady ship
The water rushes with force
Never before seen clouds
Dreams vanished in smoke
Dusty faces of a listless crowd
Sirens signal help on the way
Fazed by nothing at all
Grudges pushed aside to fall
On the remarkable September day
Cries and screams never heard
Numbness so blinding
The visceral reactions of men
Advancing on the sound of a word
An empty boat sways
Children in no rush to play
Dreading the feeling of loss
On a sea too terrifying to cross
Part of souls taken away
Dying embers rest down to lay
The waves crash seamlessly
As we gather to pray on one knee
Complete strangers embrace
Drowning in sobs to hide their face
To those lives lost
And the ones it cost
We start in a new direction
Steering the way with affection
But never without the connection
To never forget
An everlasting sailor
On an unsteady ship
The water rushes with force
Never before seen clouds
Dreams vanished in smoke
Dusty faces of a listless crowd
Sirens signal help on the way
Fazed by nothing at all
Grudges pushed aside to fall
On the remarkable September day
Cries and screams never heard
Numbness so blinding
The visceral reactions of men
Advancing on the sound of a word
An empty boat sways
Children in no rush to play
Dreading the feeling of loss
On a sea too terrifying to cross
Part of souls taken away
Dying embers rest down to lay
The waves crash seamlessly
As we gather to pray on one knee
Complete strangers embrace
Drowning in sobs to hide their face
To those lives lost
And the ones it cost
We start in a new direction
Steering the way with affection
But never without the connection
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Thursday Take-Twos
Teen sensation, Melanie Oudin, was eliminated in the women’s quarterfinals of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. The 17 year old Marietta, Georgia native was beaten 6-2, 6-2 by ninth seeded, Caroline Wozniacki. The Denmark diva dominated a driven Oudin in defeat. Wozniacki won 14 of the first 18 points on her way to dropping her teenage opponent in two sets. Oudin was the surprise story of the U.S. Open and a woman on a magical ride as she plowed through established players such as Elena Dementieva and Maria Sharapova. The youngest U.S. Open quarterfinalist since Serena Williams came on the scene in 1999, Oudin impressed and won over the New York crowd the past few weeks. Oudin’s gutsy comeback victories appealed to the masses in Flushing, and worldwide. Her last three wins occurred after she dropped the first set. Melanie did not have much last night and committed 43 unforced errors to Wozniacki’s 20. It was also Wozniacki’s first trip to the quarterfinals, and now the 19 year old Dane will compete in her first ever Grand Slam semifinal. The steady baseline counterpuncher will have to figure out fellow 19 year old, Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer in the next round.
The NFL season is finally here. The defending Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers play the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field tonight. Ben Roethlisberger and the high charge Steeler offense get reacquainted but will have to prevent the tenacious Titans from redemption. The Pittsburgh quarterback dismantled the Titans in the 2005 season opener. Pittsburgh won the game 34-7 that year. Now the team is poised to repeat as champions behind wide receiver, Hines Ward and defensive pounders, linebackers James Farrior and James Harrison. Hines and the James’ are a year older, and have won the admiration of Steeler nation with their ability. Their AFC South opponents are no slouches either. LenDale White and Chris Johnson are the dual-headed monster running back tandem on the Titans side of the ball waiting to blow fire. Johnson compiled 1,228 yards in 2008 and a thirty pound lighter White should see improvement in the backfield. The season opener will feature plenty of drama. Tennessee seeks to obtain what they fell short of last season---a Superbowl appearance. They started the 2008 season 10-0 and turned in the best record at 13-3 when all was said and done. The Titans’ three point loss to Baltimore in the playoffs was a disheartening end to the feel-good year. Jeff Fisher, the well-spoken head coach, returns twenty starters but will be without All-Pro defensive tackle, Albert Haynesworth. The Titans have a new offensive look but are hoping to reach a higher level in establishing themselves in the conference. Thirty-seven year old former Penn State quarterback, Kerry Collins, returns to call the signals for Tennessee. Speedy receiver, Nate Washington, and Kenny Britt, the 30th draft pick straight out of Rutgers, will be the main deep targets. Jared Cook is a threat to score at the tight end slot too. The veteran offensive line is led by All-Pro center, Kevin Mawae. The line set a franchise record in 2008 with just 12 sacks allowed. If Collins can stay off his back, the offense always has a chance to make plays.
Parting Points: An oldie but a goodie song: “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors
The NFL season is finally here. The defending Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers play the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field tonight. Ben Roethlisberger and the high charge Steeler offense get reacquainted but will have to prevent the tenacious Titans from redemption. The Pittsburgh quarterback dismantled the Titans in the 2005 season opener. Pittsburgh won the game 34-7 that year. Now the team is poised to repeat as champions behind wide receiver, Hines Ward and defensive pounders, linebackers James Farrior and James Harrison. Hines and the James’ are a year older, and have won the admiration of Steeler nation with their ability. Their AFC South opponents are no slouches either. LenDale White and Chris Johnson are the dual-headed monster running back tandem on the Titans side of the ball waiting to blow fire. Johnson compiled 1,228 yards in 2008 and a thirty pound lighter White should see improvement in the backfield. The season opener will feature plenty of drama. Tennessee seeks to obtain what they fell short of last season---a Superbowl appearance. They started the 2008 season 10-0 and turned in the best record at 13-3 when all was said and done. The Titans’ three point loss to Baltimore in the playoffs was a disheartening end to the feel-good year. Jeff Fisher, the well-spoken head coach, returns twenty starters but will be without All-Pro defensive tackle, Albert Haynesworth. The Titans have a new offensive look but are hoping to reach a higher level in establishing themselves in the conference. Thirty-seven year old former Penn State quarterback, Kerry Collins, returns to call the signals for Tennessee. Speedy receiver, Nate Washington, and Kenny Britt, the 30th draft pick straight out of Rutgers, will be the main deep targets. Jared Cook is a threat to score at the tight end slot too. The veteran offensive line is led by All-Pro center, Kevin Mawae. The line set a franchise record in 2008 with just 12 sacks allowed. If Collins can stay off his back, the offense always has a chance to make plays.
Parting Points: An oldie but a goodie song: “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Rugged Redskins
The Washington Redskins open up the 2009 football season at The Meadowlands against the New York Giants. The NFC East team will have to deploy their weapons on defense and derive points from three Pro Bowl offensive studs. The blasé Redskins organization made a splash during off-season free agency. Dan Snyder, the team’s name-loving owner, added All-pro tackle Albert Haynesworth this winter. The $100 million defensive tackle is unfazed by the Giants. He was practically dismissive of the NFC East rival when asked about the challenge of tackling Big Blue running back, Brandon Jacobs. DeAngelo Hall, a November pickup, was also signed to add some zip in the secondary. The ‘Skins also drafted the best defensive end available, Texas’ Brian Orakpo. Washington’s offense will be boosted by tight end Chris Cooley, fullback Mike Sellers and running back Clinton Portis. All three made the Pro Bowl last year and return to shine in Jason Campbell’s shaky offense.
Campbell was the subject of various trade rumors during the off-season. The Redskins tried desperately to trade him for Jay Cutler and considered drafting Mark Sanchez as his replacement. They landed neither quarterback, and now Campbell is expected to be consistent or he is out in 2010. Head coach, Jim Zorn, has Todd Collins as a backup if Campbell falters. The 37 year old veteran doesn’t reap confidence or reliability, however. Santana Moss is a fine receiver and Antwaan Randle El is a former superstar with proven talent. If Moss, Randle El and Portis can develop perfect chemistry with Campbell, the Redskins will have stellar symmetry on offense.
The trite Washington offense will get a dose of reality in week one against the Giants’ defense. Portis will carry the load running the ball and be relegated as the top back. Clinton was an MVP candidate in 2008 before injuring his knee and ribs and verbally sparring with Zorn. Portis produced 523 yards and just two touchdowns in 2008. As long as Portis is not on the shelf for most of the year, he should be able to top Hall of Famer John Riggins’ team rushing record. Portis will have to plow through the Giants with a heavy dependence on an untested but durable line. Starting left tackle, Chris Samules and right tackle, Jon Jansen, returned to the roster last year after battling ailments. They put up respectable, All-Star-like numbers. Guard Randy Thomas is also a viable lineman on the right side for Campbell. He can create holes for Portis and Sellers. But the 33 year old missed camp because of surgery. Center Casey Rabach is the rock of the line that did not allow any of their preseason opponents to get to their quarterback in 35 dropbacks. Journeyman Jeremy Bridges and on-the-mend Mike Williams are backups. Right tackle, Stephon Heyer has improved tremendously according to his head coach. The 25 year old has enormous upside. Cooley is an insufficient blocker at the tight end position but still a legitimate Pro Bowler at the top of his game. Backup Todd Yoder is a reliable blocker, and Fred Davis is a second year pass-catcher who could be impactful with more time. A punishing blocker could give Cooley more freedom to roam. Moss, the 30 year old receiver out of Miami, recorded over 1,000 yards with six touchdowns in 2008. In three seasons with the ‘Skins, he’s averaged just over 15 yards per touch. Malcolm Kelly made a statement in the preseason as the number two receiver and compliment to Moss. Zorn expects Kelly and second year wideout, Devin Thomas, to step up and improve the offense. Marko Mitchell also made the team this year and Randle-El is coming off a promising showing in camp. The seventh round pick has great hands and scored twice for Washington during the preseason. Randle-El is better considered for the slot in three-receiver sets. Ladell Betts could change the complexion of the running game in certain situations if the speedy back is utilized.
Campbell is no automatic playmaker and still has plenty to prove despite being named the captain. The Redskins also named Samuels, Cornelius Griffin, London Fletcher, Sellers and Rock Cartwright as captains. The Redskins are coming off a subpar season and are projected by most to remain competitive in one of football’s toughest divisions. An 8-8 record seems reasonable for Washington in 2009. The Redskins finished last in the NFC East with a rookie head coach in 2008. They hope to make a postseason run this year with keen and critical play. Washington will have to conquer the Giants in week one and their success could depend on how much Portis has left. Portis is the team’s consistent cog because Campbell doesn’t have a strong enough line in front of him to pass all the time. Haynesworth won’t fly under the radar, and the Redskins will use his immense presences to dominate games. The paper-thin patience of Snyder will be the motivation as the Redskins present a team poised to make the playoffs. Washington assembled a solid defense but did little to address the line in the offseason. Zorn’s players now have a full year in his system, so that plays do his advantage. He did not have the personnel to execute his West Coast offense last year, but the maturity and health of the players should not be as detrimental in 2009.
Parting Points: Listening to Leona Lewis is always to my liking.
Campbell was the subject of various trade rumors during the off-season. The Redskins tried desperately to trade him for Jay Cutler and considered drafting Mark Sanchez as his replacement. They landed neither quarterback, and now Campbell is expected to be consistent or he is out in 2010. Head coach, Jim Zorn, has Todd Collins as a backup if Campbell falters. The 37 year old veteran doesn’t reap confidence or reliability, however. Santana Moss is a fine receiver and Antwaan Randle El is a former superstar with proven talent. If Moss, Randle El and Portis can develop perfect chemistry with Campbell, the Redskins will have stellar symmetry on offense.
The trite Washington offense will get a dose of reality in week one against the Giants’ defense. Portis will carry the load running the ball and be relegated as the top back. Clinton was an MVP candidate in 2008 before injuring his knee and ribs and verbally sparring with Zorn. Portis produced 523 yards and just two touchdowns in 2008. As long as Portis is not on the shelf for most of the year, he should be able to top Hall of Famer John Riggins’ team rushing record. Portis will have to plow through the Giants with a heavy dependence on an untested but durable line. Starting left tackle, Chris Samules and right tackle, Jon Jansen, returned to the roster last year after battling ailments. They put up respectable, All-Star-like numbers. Guard Randy Thomas is also a viable lineman on the right side for Campbell. He can create holes for Portis and Sellers. But the 33 year old missed camp because of surgery. Center Casey Rabach is the rock of the line that did not allow any of their preseason opponents to get to their quarterback in 35 dropbacks. Journeyman Jeremy Bridges and on-the-mend Mike Williams are backups. Right tackle, Stephon Heyer has improved tremendously according to his head coach. The 25 year old has enormous upside. Cooley is an insufficient blocker at the tight end position but still a legitimate Pro Bowler at the top of his game. Backup Todd Yoder is a reliable blocker, and Fred Davis is a second year pass-catcher who could be impactful with more time. A punishing blocker could give Cooley more freedom to roam. Moss, the 30 year old receiver out of Miami, recorded over 1,000 yards with six touchdowns in 2008. In three seasons with the ‘Skins, he’s averaged just over 15 yards per touch. Malcolm Kelly made a statement in the preseason as the number two receiver and compliment to Moss. Zorn expects Kelly and second year wideout, Devin Thomas, to step up and improve the offense. Marko Mitchell also made the team this year and Randle-El is coming off a promising showing in camp. The seventh round pick has great hands and scored twice for Washington during the preseason. Randle-El is better considered for the slot in three-receiver sets. Ladell Betts could change the complexion of the running game in certain situations if the speedy back is utilized.
Campbell is no automatic playmaker and still has plenty to prove despite being named the captain. The Redskins also named Samuels, Cornelius Griffin, London Fletcher, Sellers and Rock Cartwright as captains. The Redskins are coming off a subpar season and are projected by most to remain competitive in one of football’s toughest divisions. An 8-8 record seems reasonable for Washington in 2009. The Redskins finished last in the NFC East with a rookie head coach in 2008. They hope to make a postseason run this year with keen and critical play. Washington will have to conquer the Giants in week one and their success could depend on how much Portis has left. Portis is the team’s consistent cog because Campbell doesn’t have a strong enough line in front of him to pass all the time. Haynesworth won’t fly under the radar, and the Redskins will use his immense presences to dominate games. The paper-thin patience of Snyder will be the motivation as the Redskins present a team poised to make the playoffs. Washington assembled a solid defense but did little to address the line in the offseason. Zorn’s players now have a full year in his system, so that plays do his advantage. He did not have the personnel to execute his West Coast offense last year, but the maturity and health of the players should not be as detrimental in 2009.
Parting Points: Listening to Leona Lewis is always to my liking.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Fearless
The whip of a racquet a natural reaction
for timely placed groundstrokes developed long ago
The influx of fear an unwelcome eruption
for deflated nerves taught to practice high ego
The makeup of an athlete a stimulating distraction
on a hard court surface allowing no errors
The conniving strategy an easy assumption
on a day with crowd bellowing without bearers
Overcome with emotion a hesitant swing
underscored the adrenaline contained within
Overwhelmed by the induction of power
Undermined the immaterial hour
Fearless and focused I took the first set
Completing my goal of refusing to fret
The next set I held strong in all eight games
Turning away the victor asserting her claims
Parting Points: "The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident." –Max Lucado
for timely placed groundstrokes developed long ago
The influx of fear an unwelcome eruption
for deflated nerves taught to practice high ego
The makeup of an athlete a stimulating distraction
on a hard court surface allowing no errors
The conniving strategy an easy assumption
on a day with crowd bellowing without bearers
Overcome with emotion a hesitant swing
underscored the adrenaline contained within
Overwhelmed by the induction of power
Undermined the immaterial hour
Fearless and focused I took the first set
Completing my goal of refusing to fret
The next set I held strong in all eight games
Turning away the victor asserting her claims
Parting Points: "The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident." –Max Lucado
Monday, September 7, 2009
Historical Hitter
This is the time of year when football snags the spotlight from America’s pastime. While baseball doesn’t become completely immaterial, it does take a backseat to the NFL. There are still some gritty pennant races and divisions up for grabs. There are also plenty of dramatic walk-off finishes yet to be played. One record is still close to being surpassed. Derek Jeter, the famous New York Yankees shortstop, is three hits away from tying Lou Gehrig’s Yankees hit record. That leaves the celebrity ballplayer four shy of the prestigious record.
You can’t say enough about the captain of the Yankees. Jeter has some of the best instincts I’ve ever seen in baseball. He always seems to competently get the job done. Nine out of ten times, Jeter comes through at the plate. His occasional power and opposite field slugging remain the staple of the future Hall-of-famer hitter. Derek averaged 195 hits in his first thirteen seasons with the Bombers. Since 1995, he has had a .300 average or above in all but three seasons. Jeter clubbed 223 homeruns and drove in 1,063 runs in fourteen seasons in the Bronx. No one epitomizes professionalism and class more than Jeter. He is the rare ballplayer who is truly grateful to be on the field each day. Jeter is noble on and off the field and has a strong makeup backed by equally strong family values. It seems all too fitting for someone with Jeter’s character to break the record set by the humble Iron Horse himself. Jeter eschewed discussing the record. He is more focused on winning baseball games and getting his team in a prime post-season position. Jeter seems almost embarrassed and uneasy when his name is mentioned among the Yankee greats. That’s typical of Derek Jeter. He rarely endorses the spotlight being on a single player.
Gehrig set the all-time record for hits as a Yankee at 2,721. We will never know how many more the first baseman could have collected had he been healthy. Jeter is closing in on Lou, and could very well tie and break the record this Labor Day. The captain went 3-for 3 in yesterday’s dismal loss to the Bluejays at Rogers Centre. The 35 year old will step to the plate at least a half a dozen times this afternoon as New York plays a doubleheader against the Rays. Jeter is already an immortal New York Yankee. He breaking Gehrig’s long-standing record only propels the shortstop to the top of the list. The accomplishment would be quite stellar considering all the legendary men that donned the pinstripes since Gehrig exited the game. Jeter may not play in both games of the day-night doubleheader, but it’s almost a done deal number two will break the record before the week is over.
Jeter, to me, is the modern-day Gehrig. His starred in four World Series with the Bombers and has earned the right to be considered one of the greatest hitters in franchise history. There is little debate he belongs in the Hall-of-Fame. Jeter will put up a new mark that may never be shattered. Players today don’t often stay with the same organization their entire career. Even if they do remain, most don’t hit as consistently or get on base as much as Jeter. The captain even has a chance to take down Rickey Henderson’s stolen base record and Mickey Mantle’s games played record as a Yankee. Jeter’s celebrated and acclaimed career can be summed up by his quality play and well-mannered attitude. You don’t have to analyze him carefully to realize he is truly a special player. Years from now, Yankees fans won’t remember most of today’s players very well. But Jeter will always be the face of the Yankees during our generation.
Parting points: Song of the day- “Bittersweet Me” by R.E.M.
You can’t say enough about the captain of the Yankees. Jeter has some of the best instincts I’ve ever seen in baseball. He always seems to competently get the job done. Nine out of ten times, Jeter comes through at the plate. His occasional power and opposite field slugging remain the staple of the future Hall-of-famer hitter. Derek averaged 195 hits in his first thirteen seasons with the Bombers. Since 1995, he has had a .300 average or above in all but three seasons. Jeter clubbed 223 homeruns and drove in 1,063 runs in fourteen seasons in the Bronx. No one epitomizes professionalism and class more than Jeter. He is the rare ballplayer who is truly grateful to be on the field each day. Jeter is noble on and off the field and has a strong makeup backed by equally strong family values. It seems all too fitting for someone with Jeter’s character to break the record set by the humble Iron Horse himself. Jeter eschewed discussing the record. He is more focused on winning baseball games and getting his team in a prime post-season position. Jeter seems almost embarrassed and uneasy when his name is mentioned among the Yankee greats. That’s typical of Derek Jeter. He rarely endorses the spotlight being on a single player.
Gehrig set the all-time record for hits as a Yankee at 2,721. We will never know how many more the first baseman could have collected had he been healthy. Jeter is closing in on Lou, and could very well tie and break the record this Labor Day. The captain went 3-for 3 in yesterday’s dismal loss to the Bluejays at Rogers Centre. The 35 year old will step to the plate at least a half a dozen times this afternoon as New York plays a doubleheader against the Rays. Jeter is already an immortal New York Yankee. He breaking Gehrig’s long-standing record only propels the shortstop to the top of the list. The accomplishment would be quite stellar considering all the legendary men that donned the pinstripes since Gehrig exited the game. Jeter may not play in both games of the day-night doubleheader, but it’s almost a done deal number two will break the record before the week is over.
Jeter, to me, is the modern-day Gehrig. His starred in four World Series with the Bombers and has earned the right to be considered one of the greatest hitters in franchise history. There is little debate he belongs in the Hall-of-Fame. Jeter will put up a new mark that may never be shattered. Players today don’t often stay with the same organization their entire career. Even if they do remain, most don’t hit as consistently or get on base as much as Jeter. The captain even has a chance to take down Rickey Henderson’s stolen base record and Mickey Mantle’s games played record as a Yankee. Jeter’s celebrated and acclaimed career can be summed up by his quality play and well-mannered attitude. You don’t have to analyze him carefully to realize he is truly a special player. Years from now, Yankees fans won’t remember most of today’s players very well. But Jeter will always be the face of the Yankees during our generation.
Parting points: Song of the day- “Bittersweet Me” by R.E.M.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Streak Stopper
Crescendos of clear chirpy cheers came from the crowd to compliment their comrade
His clustered crop of cronies came to clap him on in droves fully-clad
I watched him collect himself and wipe the sweat slowly off his brow
He tipped his helmet slightly and saluted the stands with a candid bow
My heart beat rhythmically as the grateful slugger gripped his bat with a clutch
The ageless body of a hero far removed from my distant touch
He anticipated his offering as he aspired to ascertain it all
She believed in the brilliant way he punished the ball
A following of faithful fans admired his undeterred strength
They excused his field flaws and the drawn-out game’s length
The illustrious icon insinuated veneration from his impressionable adherents
His gift for the glorious game garnered their consent and clearance
In time the glory would fade like the setting of a summer sun
The dawning of a new star giving way to an unforgettable run
Parting points: On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles breaks one of baseball’s most famous records. Ripken plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, surpassing the mark held by Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig.
His clustered crop of cronies came to clap him on in droves fully-clad
I watched him collect himself and wipe the sweat slowly off his brow
He tipped his helmet slightly and saluted the stands with a candid bow
My heart beat rhythmically as the grateful slugger gripped his bat with a clutch
The ageless body of a hero far removed from my distant touch
He anticipated his offering as he aspired to ascertain it all
She believed in the brilliant way he punished the ball
A following of faithful fans admired his undeterred strength
They excused his field flaws and the drawn-out game’s length
The illustrious icon insinuated veneration from his impressionable adherents
His gift for the glorious game garnered their consent and clearance
In time the glory would fade like the setting of a summer sun
The dawning of a new star giving way to an unforgettable run
Parting points: On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles breaks one of baseball’s most famous records. Ripken plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, surpassing the mark held by Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Rolle's Return Redeems Restlessness
Ohio State and Navy met for their first regular season game since 1931 on Saturday afternoon. The college football season kicked off at the Horseshoe and ended with what OSU head coach, Jim Tressel, termed a “dazzling” fourth quarter. Navy quarterback, Ricky Dobbs trimmed the Ohio State lead to two with 2:23 remaining in the game. Dobbs ran up the middle for a 24 yard touchdown to put the Midshipmen in position to tie the game on a two-point conversion. The Buckeyes led 29-27 when Brian Rolle intercepted a potential game-tying two-point conversion in the closing minutes. Rolle returned for two points the other way to preserve the Buckeye lead. The Bucks weathered the storm against a pesky Navy team in their 2009 home opener. An estimated crowd of 105,000 fans turned out at Ohio Stadium, the largest ever to see the Buckeyes open a season.
Rolle’s pick at the one-yard line was the game-saving play, but the contest featured other notable highlights from both sides. OSU’s second year quarterback, Terrelle Pryor was a respectable 14 of 21 for 174 yards. Pryor ran for a touchdown and passed for another to help Ohio State slip past the Midshipmen 31-27. Dan Herron led the Buckeye rushers with 72 yards and a touchdown, and Brandon Saine pounded out 53 yards in the backfield. Ohio State established an early 7-0 lead on their opening drive. The Buckeyes held the ball for just under seven minutes on a 15 play first quarter scoring drive. Pryor swiftly spiraled a 38 yard pass to Dane Sanzenbacher for the first OSU touchdown. Navy scored on the ensuing possession after converting four third downs. The Buckeyes evidently were troubled by the diverse and complicated Navy offensive formation. Dobbs rushed for 16 yards up the middle on a third and two to even the score. OSU place kicker, Aaron Pettry added a 23 yard field goal late in the quarter to put the Buckeyes back on top by three points.
The second quarter began sloppily for both teams. Ohio State overcame a few penalties and a fumble. The Midshipmen also fumbled, but were unable to recover their own ball. Instead, the stalwart OSU defense returned in time and the Buckeyes capitalized on the turnover. Kurt Coleman viciously knocked the ball from Mario Washington, and Ross Horman fell on the loose object. The splendid subsequent drive resulted in a touchdown for the scarlet and gray. Pryor scrambled to the left side of the endzone for the six points. Backup quarterback, Joe Bauserman completed three passes just before the half for Ohio State. He rushed for six yards to the Navy eight yard line before Tressel called their final timeout. Pettry footed a 25-yarder with .58 ticks on the clock to give his team a 20-8 halftime lead. Although not commanding, the Buckeyes did a good job handling Navy in the first half.
The only scoring in the third quarter was from the visiting team. Navy scored just before the end of the quarter on a 15-play drive that set up Marcus Curry’s 16 yard touchdown reception. The slim Ohio State lead was increased by three on Pettry’s third field goal of the game. This time, the slick kicker planted a long 52 yarder between the posts for a 23-14 Buckeye lead. Herron ran six yards for a touchdown on a quick but effective Ohio State drive. Pettry missed the point-after as the ball bounced off the right upright. The PAT wasn’t good, but Ohio State still held the advantage. The 29-14 home team lead would remain for just five minutes, however. Dobbs completed an unfathomable 85 yard pass to Curry on the one play for the Midshipmen. The noxious Navy pair was thorough through the air, but it was Navy’s defense that made this opener a game. Navy never folded, and their flexbone triple option offense rocked the Horseshoe in the second half. Curry beat the one-on-one coverage of OSU safety, Anderson Russell and outran him to the endzone. Dobbs lofted the perfect spiral to Curry, and in doing so completed the third longest pass play in Navy history. The Horseshoe crowd stunningly saw Dobbs throw for 156 yards and two scores. The Navy signal-caller completed 9 of 13 passes on the day. Curry finished with just over 100 total yards.
Ohio State limped through the remainder of the fourth quarter. The lowlight came on Pryor’s intercepted pass by Navy safety, Emmett Merchant. Merchant returned the ball 28 yards to the OSU 33 yard line with four minutes left in the game. Dobbs faked a handoff on third down and sprinted straight up the middle for another Midshipmen score. This is where the missed PAT could come back to haunt the Buckeyes. Navy went for the two-point conversion and the tie. The attempt was fruitless. The junior Buckeye, Rolle, thundered up the Navy sideline 99 yards to give the home crowd something to cheer about again: a 31-27 Buckeyes lead. OSU recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to notch their first victory of the year. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for my beloved Buckeyes. They welcome their Hollywood opponents, the Pete Carroll-led USC Trojans on September 12th. The game is sure to rate, but will the actual product on the field show value?
Parting points: Does this game bring new meaning to the term “pick and roll(e)?” Gosh, I love this game. Is there anything better than college football?
Rolle’s pick at the one-yard line was the game-saving play, but the contest featured other notable highlights from both sides. OSU’s second year quarterback, Terrelle Pryor was a respectable 14 of 21 for 174 yards. Pryor ran for a touchdown and passed for another to help Ohio State slip past the Midshipmen 31-27. Dan Herron led the Buckeye rushers with 72 yards and a touchdown, and Brandon Saine pounded out 53 yards in the backfield. Ohio State established an early 7-0 lead on their opening drive. The Buckeyes held the ball for just under seven minutes on a 15 play first quarter scoring drive. Pryor swiftly spiraled a 38 yard pass to Dane Sanzenbacher for the first OSU touchdown. Navy scored on the ensuing possession after converting four third downs. The Buckeyes evidently were troubled by the diverse and complicated Navy offensive formation. Dobbs rushed for 16 yards up the middle on a third and two to even the score. OSU place kicker, Aaron Pettry added a 23 yard field goal late in the quarter to put the Buckeyes back on top by three points.
The second quarter began sloppily for both teams. Ohio State overcame a few penalties and a fumble. The Midshipmen also fumbled, but were unable to recover their own ball. Instead, the stalwart OSU defense returned in time and the Buckeyes capitalized on the turnover. Kurt Coleman viciously knocked the ball from Mario Washington, and Ross Horman fell on the loose object. The splendid subsequent drive resulted in a touchdown for the scarlet and gray. Pryor scrambled to the left side of the endzone for the six points. Backup quarterback, Joe Bauserman completed three passes just before the half for Ohio State. He rushed for six yards to the Navy eight yard line before Tressel called their final timeout. Pettry footed a 25-yarder with .58 ticks on the clock to give his team a 20-8 halftime lead. Although not commanding, the Buckeyes did a good job handling Navy in the first half.
The only scoring in the third quarter was from the visiting team. Navy scored just before the end of the quarter on a 15-play drive that set up Marcus Curry’s 16 yard touchdown reception. The slim Ohio State lead was increased by three on Pettry’s third field goal of the game. This time, the slick kicker planted a long 52 yarder between the posts for a 23-14 Buckeye lead. Herron ran six yards for a touchdown on a quick but effective Ohio State drive. Pettry missed the point-after as the ball bounced off the right upright. The PAT wasn’t good, but Ohio State still held the advantage. The 29-14 home team lead would remain for just five minutes, however. Dobbs completed an unfathomable 85 yard pass to Curry on the one play for the Midshipmen. The noxious Navy pair was thorough through the air, but it was Navy’s defense that made this opener a game. Navy never folded, and their flexbone triple option offense rocked the Horseshoe in the second half. Curry beat the one-on-one coverage of OSU safety, Anderson Russell and outran him to the endzone. Dobbs lofted the perfect spiral to Curry, and in doing so completed the third longest pass play in Navy history. The Horseshoe crowd stunningly saw Dobbs throw for 156 yards and two scores. The Navy signal-caller completed 9 of 13 passes on the day. Curry finished with just over 100 total yards.
Ohio State limped through the remainder of the fourth quarter. The lowlight came on Pryor’s intercepted pass by Navy safety, Emmett Merchant. Merchant returned the ball 28 yards to the OSU 33 yard line with four minutes left in the game. Dobbs faked a handoff on third down and sprinted straight up the middle for another Midshipmen score. This is where the missed PAT could come back to haunt the Buckeyes. Navy went for the two-point conversion and the tie. The attempt was fruitless. The junior Buckeye, Rolle, thundered up the Navy sideline 99 yards to give the home crowd something to cheer about again: a 31-27 Buckeyes lead. OSU recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to notch their first victory of the year. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for my beloved Buckeyes. They welcome their Hollywood opponents, the Pete Carroll-led USC Trojans on September 12th. The game is sure to rate, but will the actual product on the field show value?
Parting points: Does this game bring new meaning to the term “pick and roll(e)?” Gosh, I love this game. Is there anything better than college football?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Bellotti's Bitter Boys Begin in Boise
My Thursday night and Saturday afternoons are officially booked from tonight until January. The college football season begins this evening with some interesting match-ups. The most intriguing game takes place at 10:15 EST when the consummate BCS-busters of Boise State battle Pac-10 contender, Oregon. The attractive match-up is a rematch of last year’s remarkable and memorable clash in Eugene. The Ducks were ranked 14th in the preseason polls but may suffer a drop off as Chip Kelly makes the demanding transition from coordinator to head coach. Former coach, Mike Bellotti, took the athletic director position after last season’s 10-3 regular season finish. Oregon’s offensive is a potent one, finishing seventh in the nation in scoring a year ago. Junior Jeremiah Masoli will have to grow up quickly as the team’s starting quarterback. Boise State is no cupcake on the Duck’s non-conference schedule. Masoli is looking to avenge Oregon’s 2008 loss against the Broncos. Last September, Masoli completed 3 of 4 passes against Boise State before leaving the game with a 6 point lead and a concussion. The Ducks went on to lose the game 37-32 in a shocker with redshirt freshman, Kellen Moore, guiding the Broncos to victory. Moore passed for over 3,000 yards and threw 25 touchdown passes for the 12-0, undefeated Boise State team. The Broncos were arguably one of the best teams in the nation last year, and some believed they should have been in the national championship game. Masoli endured a spectacular season for Oregon, ending in a Poinsettia Bowl victory. He is a keen and quick ball distributer and will be expected to dispense efficiently against one of the nation’s stingiest defenses. The secondary is probably the Duck’s weakest area this year, but Oregon has a strong linebacker core. Casey Matthews, Spencer Paysinger and Eddie Pleasant are the trio of versatile linebackers for Kelly. Their coverage will be key to the Ducks’ success on defense because the linebackers can take the pressure off the secondary in upsetting opposing offenses.
The Broncos have a 49 game regular season winning streak at home but the Ducks are predicting they will be the team to snap it. This is the biggest home game in Boise State history. Ticketless fans are encouraged to gather at the University’s basketball arena to share in the hype. The confident Oregon squad anticipates they will become the first to knock of Boise State at Bronco Stadium. If they succeed, the Ducks will be the road winners since December 28, 2005. It’s never an easy task facing Chris Peterson’s well-coached football team. The Broncos return 12 starters and are the heavy favorites to win their seventh WAC title in eight years. The schedule sets up nicely for a flawless season if the Broncos can first finish off Oregon. The game has serious implications in paving the path for a BCS bowl later on. Even if they lose tonight, the well-timed loss may not be a factor to the voters later in the season. The boys on the blue turf have a solid line and running game around their thriving quarterback. Moore is a year older and has natural athletic ability. Moore can scramble for yardage but his terrific pocket protection makes him a steady passer. He shouldn’t have a problem with the Ducks defense. Oregon is breaking in six new starters on defense but the Ducks tend to shine in the spotlight, and this is a nationally-televised game. The quarterbacks will be the focus of tonight’s game, especially since last season’s collision spawned comments from the Duck sideline. The pesky smaller school from Idaho will encapsulate what this year’s version of the Ducks will be like. Boise State is the first challenge for the high-profile Pac-10 Ducks, but they teams are about equal in talent. The Broncos have the lower ranking at 16 and are technically the underdogs. But is anyone BUT Boise State really an underdog on Bronco Stadium’s blue turf?
Parting points: What’s this about Jim Tressel coming to the defense of Rich Rodriguez??
The Broncos have a 49 game regular season winning streak at home but the Ducks are predicting they will be the team to snap it. This is the biggest home game in Boise State history. Ticketless fans are encouraged to gather at the University’s basketball arena to share in the hype. The confident Oregon squad anticipates they will become the first to knock of Boise State at Bronco Stadium. If they succeed, the Ducks will be the road winners since December 28, 2005. It’s never an easy task facing Chris Peterson’s well-coached football team. The Broncos return 12 starters and are the heavy favorites to win their seventh WAC title in eight years. The schedule sets up nicely for a flawless season if the Broncos can first finish off Oregon. The game has serious implications in paving the path for a BCS bowl later on. Even if they lose tonight, the well-timed loss may not be a factor to the voters later in the season. The boys on the blue turf have a solid line and running game around their thriving quarterback. Moore is a year older and has natural athletic ability. Moore can scramble for yardage but his terrific pocket protection makes him a steady passer. He shouldn’t have a problem with the Ducks defense. Oregon is breaking in six new starters on defense but the Ducks tend to shine in the spotlight, and this is a nationally-televised game. The quarterbacks will be the focus of tonight’s game, especially since last season’s collision spawned comments from the Duck sideline. The pesky smaller school from Idaho will encapsulate what this year’s version of the Ducks will be like. Boise State is the first challenge for the high-profile Pac-10 Ducks, but they teams are about equal in talent. The Broncos have the lower ranking at 16 and are technically the underdogs. But is anyone BUT Boise State really an underdog on Bronco Stadium’s blue turf?
Parting points: What’s this about Jim Tressel coming to the defense of Rich Rodriguez??
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Acting Athletic
One year from today the date on the calendar will read: 90210. In honor of my favorite show, I thought I would dedicate a blog entry to the athletic themes and professional athletes appearing throughout the ten year reign of 90210.
The first glimpse of sport I remember from the early high school years was in episode two, “The Green Room”. Brandon and Brenda Walsh discovered their companion Dylan’s love for surfing. Brandon often accompanied Dylan McKay and his female friend, “Betty” on their surfing ventures. The Walsh twins would perform CPR and rescue Betty during a surfing accident later in the episode. It was the first of many heroic gestures of the series by Brandon. Brandon could be seen roller blading in the summer or riding a bike when his car didn’t do the job. Early in the series, viewers also learned about Brandon’s love for the game of hockey. Growing up in Minnesota exposed the high school heartthrob to the ice. He even briefly dated an ice skater after he moved to Beverly Hills, but the relationship did not last long. Brandon flirted with basketball in season one too. He tried out for the Beverly Hills High team with his friend, Steve Sanders. Brandon and Steve grew suspicious of the more talented players brought in from out of district. Steve was quite athletic and very into sports. He nailed a halftime shot at an LA Lakers game later on in high school. Brandon, on the other hand, was more successful as a sports writer. He depicted several football games and covered all the Varsity sports at the Sports Editor of the “Beverly Blaze.” In season two’s “Competitive Edge” episode, he exposed the rampant steroid use in the school’s corrupt athletic department. Brandon wasn’t always a whistleblower. He would take the field again when he and Dylan volunteered to coach a local Little League team. Dylan was not your typical jock but was an ocean lover. He taught his stepsister, Erica, how to swim and got into a surfing accident in season two. His buddy Brandon was more of a gym rat, especially when he was picking up women in season four. Brandon also studiously strapped on the ice skates in Season 7 for a charity hockey event. Cam Neely appeared in the episode “Face-Off”, where Brandon competed against Tom Miller. Tom was hot for Brandon’s ex-girlfriend, Kelly Taylor.
Football was the focus during season six. Donna Martin began dating the quarterback of California University, Joe Bradley. Joe’s professional idol, Steve Young, made a cameo on 90210 during the season six Thanksgiving episode. Quarterback Bradley had some major heart problems that threatened his football career, however. He would not go on to the NFL like Young. The Rose Bowl parade was featured in the episode, “Turn Back The Clock”. Donna made the final cut of the Tournament Of Roses and sat on the float New Years’ Day. Winter in Beverly Hills during the characters’ junior year in college was eventful sporting-wise. The group took a ski trip in “All This and Mary Too”. Susan Keats challenged her boyfriend Brandon to a ski race. The couple left their designated run and ended up getting lost in the cold weather. Steve took to the squash/racquetball courts near the end of season six with his pal, Prince Carl. The rich Carl also participated in polo and the group made an effort to watch him play.
Other athletes made guest appearances on 90210. Olympic gymnast, Kerri Strugg complained about her college schedule in front of an awe-stricken David Silver during registration. Howie Long greeted Steve and Brandon at the LA airport in the first episode of the fifth season. The most criticized athlete of the last decade, Barry Bonds, had a goofy stint on the show. Bonds appeared as a celebrity friend of Rush Sanders in a golf outing in his pre-BALCO days. Matthew Perry portrayed an athlete in the episode, “April is the Cruelest Month”. Perry played the part of the high school’s number one tennis player who secretly wanted to kill his father. Talk about dramatic. Many of the main characters swung the racquet too. Brandon, Steve and Valerie all took part in the great game during the spectacular series. In season eight, Noah Hunter related to his dad only through baseball. After his father committed suicide, Noah took an autographed ball and smacked it through a set of trees in anger. Gina Kincaid was introduced in season nine as Donna’s stepsister. Gina, a former ice skater, developed more intense issues than competing once she moved to the famous zipcode.
I hope you enjoyed my little article. It was enjoyable for me to reflect on such a terrific show.
Parting points: “I like your butt…I mean your bike”—Brenda Walsh to Dylan McKay
The first glimpse of sport I remember from the early high school years was in episode two, “The Green Room”. Brandon and Brenda Walsh discovered their companion Dylan’s love for surfing. Brandon often accompanied Dylan McKay and his female friend, “Betty” on their surfing ventures. The Walsh twins would perform CPR and rescue Betty during a surfing accident later in the episode. It was the first of many heroic gestures of the series by Brandon. Brandon could be seen roller blading in the summer or riding a bike when his car didn’t do the job. Early in the series, viewers also learned about Brandon’s love for the game of hockey. Growing up in Minnesota exposed the high school heartthrob to the ice. He even briefly dated an ice skater after he moved to Beverly Hills, but the relationship did not last long. Brandon flirted with basketball in season one too. He tried out for the Beverly Hills High team with his friend, Steve Sanders. Brandon and Steve grew suspicious of the more talented players brought in from out of district. Steve was quite athletic and very into sports. He nailed a halftime shot at an LA Lakers game later on in high school. Brandon, on the other hand, was more successful as a sports writer. He depicted several football games and covered all the Varsity sports at the Sports Editor of the “Beverly Blaze.” In season two’s “Competitive Edge” episode, he exposed the rampant steroid use in the school’s corrupt athletic department. Brandon wasn’t always a whistleblower. He would take the field again when he and Dylan volunteered to coach a local Little League team. Dylan was not your typical jock but was an ocean lover. He taught his stepsister, Erica, how to swim and got into a surfing accident in season two. His buddy Brandon was more of a gym rat, especially when he was picking up women in season four. Brandon also studiously strapped on the ice skates in Season 7 for a charity hockey event. Cam Neely appeared in the episode “Face-Off”, where Brandon competed against Tom Miller. Tom was hot for Brandon’s ex-girlfriend, Kelly Taylor.
Football was the focus during season six. Donna Martin began dating the quarterback of California University, Joe Bradley. Joe’s professional idol, Steve Young, made a cameo on 90210 during the season six Thanksgiving episode. Quarterback Bradley had some major heart problems that threatened his football career, however. He would not go on to the NFL like Young. The Rose Bowl parade was featured in the episode, “Turn Back The Clock”. Donna made the final cut of the Tournament Of Roses and sat on the float New Years’ Day. Winter in Beverly Hills during the characters’ junior year in college was eventful sporting-wise. The group took a ski trip in “All This and Mary Too”. Susan Keats challenged her boyfriend Brandon to a ski race. The couple left their designated run and ended up getting lost in the cold weather. Steve took to the squash/racquetball courts near the end of season six with his pal, Prince Carl. The rich Carl also participated in polo and the group made an effort to watch him play.
Other athletes made guest appearances on 90210. Olympic gymnast, Kerri Strugg complained about her college schedule in front of an awe-stricken David Silver during registration. Howie Long greeted Steve and Brandon at the LA airport in the first episode of the fifth season. The most criticized athlete of the last decade, Barry Bonds, had a goofy stint on the show. Bonds appeared as a celebrity friend of Rush Sanders in a golf outing in his pre-BALCO days. Matthew Perry portrayed an athlete in the episode, “April is the Cruelest Month”. Perry played the part of the high school’s number one tennis player who secretly wanted to kill his father. Talk about dramatic. Many of the main characters swung the racquet too. Brandon, Steve and Valerie all took part in the great game during the spectacular series. In season eight, Noah Hunter related to his dad only through baseball. After his father committed suicide, Noah took an autographed ball and smacked it through a set of trees in anger. Gina Kincaid was introduced in season nine as Donna’s stepsister. Gina, a former ice skater, developed more intense issues than competing once she moved to the famous zipcode.
I hope you enjoyed my little article. It was enjoyable for me to reflect on such a terrific show.
Parting points: “I like your butt…I mean your bike”—Brenda Walsh to Dylan McKay
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Dandy Deliverer
It was a vintage Andy Pettitte performance on the mound at Camden Yards in Baltimore Monday night. The Yankees thwarted their familiar foes, the Orioles, behind the 37 year old southpaw, 5-1. Pettitte retired the first 20 batters he faced before the first Baltimore batter reached base in the seventh inning. The orange birds got on the board in the eighth, scoring their first run on a Melvin Mora homerun off number 46. Pettitte completed his masterful effort with three consecutive outs after the Mora blast.
The Bronx left-hander moved into sole possession of third place on the Yankees career wins list. His decorated and dominating deliverance against the Orioles was understated. Pettitte threw 104 pitches and allowed one run on two hits. He is now 26-6 lifetime against Baltimore, and the Orioles saw 73 strikes from the southpaw’s dandy arm last night. Pettitte was overpowering at times and affirmed after the game he was feeling really good about pitching a no-hit, perfect game into the seventh. The lefty recorded a pair of flyouts to start the inning. The Orioles were unable to muster a hit it seemed, until Adam Jones stepped strikingly to the plate. Jones slipped a one-out ground ball through the legs of Jerry Hairston, Jr. at third base to break up the no-hit bid. Hairston was filling in for Alex Rodriguez, and was charged with an error on the passed ball. Nick Markakis followed Jones with an opposite field single down the line to move the runner up a base. But, the man footing the mound escaped unscathed by inducing Baltimore left fielder, Nolan Reimold, into a routing grounder.
Andy was the victim of Mora’s sixth slam of the year, but was still able to secure his 12th victory of the season. Pettitte’s record improved to 12-6 while closer, Mariano Rivera, picked up his 37th save of 2009. Nick Swisher was the offensive star for the Bombers’ Monday night series opener in Baltimore. Swisher clubbed a 2-2 Jeremy Guthrie offering into centerfield in the third inning to give the Yankees an early lead. The outfielder got the better of Guthrie again in the fifth frame, knocking out an RBI double. The Yankees tacked on three more runs off Mark Hendrickson later in the game. A Johnny Damon single to right scored Derek Jeter in the eighth, and Robinson Cano plated a double to drive Damon and Mark Teixeira home. That was all the scoring the Bombers needed with their ace pitching well on the mound and the bullpen firing away effectively again.
Pettitte’s missed baseball immortality just barely. The no-hitter would have stood even with Hairston’s lamentable error had that been the only runner allowed. But, such is the game of baseball. Andy was flawless and economical through the first three innings, and showed fans how they should still have faith in his ability. Only Whitey Ford and Red Ruffing have more wins in a Yankee uniform than Pettitte. The Yankees enter the final month of the season playing their best baseball of the year. They are beating the teams they are supposed to beat and performing at an unconscious level. At 83-48, New York has the American League’s best record. They don’t show any signs of slowing down or stopping until November.
Parting points: Dinara Safina escaped a close match at the U.S. Open. I am continually amazed at how she remains in contention considering how poorly she serves. Eleven double faults!?
The Bronx left-hander moved into sole possession of third place on the Yankees career wins list. His decorated and dominating deliverance against the Orioles was understated. Pettitte threw 104 pitches and allowed one run on two hits. He is now 26-6 lifetime against Baltimore, and the Orioles saw 73 strikes from the southpaw’s dandy arm last night. Pettitte was overpowering at times and affirmed after the game he was feeling really good about pitching a no-hit, perfect game into the seventh. The lefty recorded a pair of flyouts to start the inning. The Orioles were unable to muster a hit it seemed, until Adam Jones stepped strikingly to the plate. Jones slipped a one-out ground ball through the legs of Jerry Hairston, Jr. at third base to break up the no-hit bid. Hairston was filling in for Alex Rodriguez, and was charged with an error on the passed ball. Nick Markakis followed Jones with an opposite field single down the line to move the runner up a base. But, the man footing the mound escaped unscathed by inducing Baltimore left fielder, Nolan Reimold, into a routing grounder.
Andy was the victim of Mora’s sixth slam of the year, but was still able to secure his 12th victory of the season. Pettitte’s record improved to 12-6 while closer, Mariano Rivera, picked up his 37th save of 2009. Nick Swisher was the offensive star for the Bombers’ Monday night series opener in Baltimore. Swisher clubbed a 2-2 Jeremy Guthrie offering into centerfield in the third inning to give the Yankees an early lead. The outfielder got the better of Guthrie again in the fifth frame, knocking out an RBI double. The Yankees tacked on three more runs off Mark Hendrickson later in the game. A Johnny Damon single to right scored Derek Jeter in the eighth, and Robinson Cano plated a double to drive Damon and Mark Teixeira home. That was all the scoring the Bombers needed with their ace pitching well on the mound and the bullpen firing away effectively again.
Pettitte’s missed baseball immortality just barely. The no-hitter would have stood even with Hairston’s lamentable error had that been the only runner allowed. But, such is the game of baseball. Andy was flawless and economical through the first three innings, and showed fans how they should still have faith in his ability. Only Whitey Ford and Red Ruffing have more wins in a Yankee uniform than Pettitte. The Yankees enter the final month of the season playing their best baseball of the year. They are beating the teams they are supposed to beat and performing at an unconscious level. At 83-48, New York has the American League’s best record. They don’t show any signs of slowing down or stopping until November.
Parting points: Dinara Safina escaped a close match at the U.S. Open. I am continually amazed at how she remains in contention considering how poorly she serves. Eleven double faults!?
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