Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/UniWatch/~3/PlP_Hcfy6hA/
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Soccer Break Thursday ? Champions League recap
A look back at all things Champions League as the Europa League rolls into town. Could the next Mourinho be threatening success in Europe's second tier club competition? Plus LeBron James invests in Liverpool and Eric Cantona is back in the news, seagulls, trawlers and all.
Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/soccer/2011/04/07/soccer-break-thursday-champions-league-recap/
Napoli Keeps Raking
After only collecting one extra base hit in May through the 27th, Mike Napoli homered in his third straight game Monday night, this time going deep twice. He’s seven for 12 in his last three games with two doubles and four home runs. Napoli raised his slugging percentage to .571. The whole Texas lineup was [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/CZG4uyNiwik/click.phdo
Closing Time: Offense returns, but not on Bartolo Colon’s watch
While you were heating up your Memorial Day grill, Major League Baseball warmed up the bats. A whopping 46 homers were clubbed on Monday and 169 runs were scored. Doc Halladay of all people allowed three homers at Washington, though he still got a win. Breezy Wrigley Field hosted its highest-scoring game since 2004.
Only one man seemed completely bulletproof from this offensive fireworks show: the one and only Bartolo Colon.
They don't throw parades for a shutout in Oakland, of course, where Colon spun his Monday Magic (4 H, 0 BB, 6 K). But we're about to hit June and the Colon music keeps playing. He's been useful in six of his eight starts, he's got the lowest ground-ball rate for the measurable balance of his career, and his peripheral-suggested ERA (3.35 FIP) is right in line with his actual number (3.26).
Colon has been fortunate but not crazy-lucky with his balls in play (.276 BABIP). He's striking out better than eight men per nine innings, and he's getting four punchouts for every walk. Everything looks good under the hood. Colon is a clear play for the weekend date in Anaheim, and I'm not afraid to use him the following week at home against Cleveland.
While you work on your best Open Mic Night Colon material, let's peruse some of the other baseball happenings from Monday:
?�Mike Napoli is doing all he can to force his way into the Texas lineup. He clouted a couple of homers at Tampa, giving him four round-trippers and nine RBIs over the past three games. It was encouraging to see Napoli do something on the road, where he's struggled most of the year (.170/.328/.447, small sample and all). Mitch Moreland also had a hand in the victory, going deep, reaching four times and scoring three runs. He's quietly up to .301 with seven homers.
?�Jordan Walden probably needed a day off after a 37-pitch save at Minnesota on Sunday, so Fernando Rodney filled the bill Monday at Kansas City. Rodney shocked the world with a perfect inning, striking out two, though he needed 23 pitches to do it. I still think Scott Downs makes more sense as the Walden hedge, but Mike Scioscia makes the calls in the OC. Torii Hunter homered twice in the win (including the clout that essentially benched Joakim Soria), with Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos adding one each.
Long term, I still view Roberts as someone worth holding in mixers. His position flexibility can get him into the lineup at several spots, and eventually the D-Backs probably will accept that Mora's weak bat (.257/.271/.307) isn't worth using on a regular basis. It's a little annoying needing a Roberts caddy in daily leagues, but I figure he'll start at least 85 percent of the time. Be patient with Arizona Ink.
?�Madison Bumgarner passed the eye test in St. Louis, allowing just two runs over seven tidy innings en route to his second win. Congratulations if you stayed the course on Bumgarner; he's posted a 2.12 ERA over his last seven starts, with 37 strikeouts against 12 walks over 46.2 innings. He's back at home on the weekend, working against Colorado. Even in shallow mixers, he should be rostered.
?�The Rockies collected 14 hits at Chavez Ravine but 13 of them were singles and they only managed one run off Chad Billingsley and Co. Eric Young batted leadoff again, going 1-for-5 with a stolen base. The Dodgers were nowhere close to a save situation, nursing a six-run lead, but it's interesting to note that Matt Guerrier pitched the eighth (1 BB, 0 R) and Javy Guerra worked the ninth (2 H, 0 R).
?�The White Sox had no trouble with Jon Lester, throwing seven runs at the ace lefty and getting a fairly-easy victory at Fenway. Alexei Ramirez put up a 4-2-2-2 line, completing a sneaky .291/.363/.500 slash for May. Brent Lillibridge was 1-for-2 on the bases, though he sure looked safe on the unsuccessful attempt. Jake Peavy only struck out two for his seven-inning stint, but otherwise he was successful (6 H, 3 R). He'll get the Mariners next.
? Jorge Posada before the tantrum: .165/.272/.349. Posada since the tantrum: .185/.333/.296 (hat tip, Jeff Passan). You need to do better at DH, Yankees; your aging veteran isn't getting it done. Oakland has a pair of nasty lefties for the next two games (Brett Anderson. Gio Gonzalez), so Posada probably won't start again until the Yankees return home. Even in deep mixers, I'm not interested in Posada for the balance of 2011.
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Im�genes cortes�a de Associated Press
Swansea celebrate historic promotion with Idrizaj tribute
Swansea City beat Reading 4-2 in an epic Championship playoff final on Monday to become the first Welsh club to win promotion to the Premier League and the tens of millions of pounds that come with it. Once the final whistle blew, the entire team put on T-shirts with Besian Idrizaj's name and picture on them in tribute to their former teammate who died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack shortly after last season. He was just 22 years old.
Despite the fact that Idrizaj played just three matches for Swansea a whole season ago, it was nice to see that even in a moment of such joy, they still value and promote his memory.
Another part of the tribute was prompted by a Facebook group started by Swans fans. It called for a remembrance of Idrizaj in the 40th minute of the match, since that was his shirt number.
Said Swansea defender Angel Rangel before their playoff semifinal against Nottingham Forest the day after the anniversary of Idrizaj's death (via Wales Online):
"We all know this weekend was the anniversary," said Rangel. "We have spoken a lot about that as a squad and we know getting to Wembley and winning promotion is the best thing we can do for Besian.
"He was very well liked here and if he was still here he would be part of this team and playing with the rest of us.
"Everyone has been affected by it, but it is extra encouragement for us to go on and be successful.
"It has been a difficult time, an emotional time, but this would be our own tribute to Besian."
Between this and Barcelona letting Abidal lift the Champions League trophy the other day, it's almost enough to counterbalance the soul-crushing ugliness of FIFA. Almost.
Photo: Getty
Matt Barkley tries to keep USC’s sanctions in perspective
USC quarterback Matt Barkley has always had a different way of thinking, a way of seeing the big picture. But no one blamed Barkley for saying that the NCAA ruling, which upheld several NCAA sanctions against his school, including a two-year postseason ban (the team voluntarily took one year last year) and a reduction of 30 scholarships during the next three years, was unfair and unjust.
It was.
After all, the NCAA is punishing USC players for something that happened during the 2004-05 season, a time when USC's current roster was either in middle school or just starting high school.
So while it was difficult for Barkley to see the bigger picture after USC's appeal to the NCAA was denied Thursday, Barkley made sure to put his football disappointments in context with what's going on in the rest of the country.
"You look at the news today and see all the tornadoes and stuff that is going on in the Midwest, and you think about those families and how life is unfair for them," Barkley said. "And they have found a way to fight on in a sense. So, we're going to find a way to fight on and make the most of this opportunity. But in reality there's nothing we can do...so why complain about it?"
I don't think Barkley was comparing USC's NCAA sanctions to the tornado devastation felt in Alabama, Missouri and Oklahoma. Rather, he was drawing inspiration from the people who have battled through those tragedies and are making the most of their situation.
Barkley is going to need that glass-half-full attitude throughout the summer to help ensure that USC doesn't lose any seniors, who might want to finish their football careers with a postseason opportunity. USC seniors are allowed to transfer to any Football Bowl Subdivision school without having to sit out a year.
So far, Barkley thinks the team will remain intact.
"I haven't heard anything," Barkley said. "That doesn't mean that guys aren't thinking about it. But given the vibe of the team and having talked to the guys prior to the decision, it doesn't seem like that's going to happen. I could be wrong, but it doesn't look like that.� It looks like guys want to be here. They want to face this challenge and do something special with it."
Phillips Pops
Kyle Phillips hit the first home run of his major league career Monday afternoon, and it proved to be the game winner as the Padres defeated the Braves 3-2 in ten innings. Phillips was in at catcher on a double switch, coming up in the tenth inning for his only plate appearance of the game. [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/Ky3RgxANUTM/click.phdo
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday Night Update
The two pitching duels scheduled for Sunday night lived up to expectations. The Tigers defeated the Red Sox 3-0 behind the strong pitching of Justin Verlander. He lasted 7 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two walks to win his fifth game of the season. In his last four starts against Boston, Verlander holds a [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/802PItmajYI/click.phdo
Headlinin’: Anointing ‘The Most Scandalous Year in College Sports’
? Breaking Bad. Capitalizing on the end of the academic term, the latest edition of ESPN the Magazine anoints 2010-11 "The Most Scandalous Year in College Sports," which is stating the obvious: On the football side alone, the low-down sagas of Jim Tressel, Cam Newton, Reggie Bush, John Blake and John Junker have already enshrined them among the most notorious scandal-makers in NCAA history, and they're really only the tip of the iceberg. Along with the assorted trials of multiple high-profile basketball coaches, either the last 12 months will turn out to be the Year the NCAA Woke Up, or they've all been a little too inspired by the success of Walter White. [ESPN the Magazine]
? "Nonprofit" doesn't mean nobody profits. On that note, minor chords sounded around Sugar Bowl offices Wednesday, when a new IRS filing showed it paid CEO Paul Hoolahan nearly $600,000 in 2009 ?�which was actually down from his $645,000 take in 2008, due to the larger bonus he received that year for overseeing the BCS Championship Game. Hoolahan's $594,000 salary in '09 is slightly higher than the $592,000 earned that year by ex-Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker, whose head now rests on a pike as a warning to his BCS colleagues. [Associated Press]
? Trickle-down academics. The Big Ten has begun preliminary talks about funneling more scholarship money to football and basketball players in the form of a "cost of attendance" increase, which would ostensibly cover certain living expenses ? transportation, clothing, etc. ? that their current scholarships don't cover. Closing the gap would cost schools an extra $3,000 per athlete per year, chump change for the likes of Michigan and Ohio State but a steep proposition for some less-privileged competition; if Title IX extends the proposed increase across all sports, most Division I athletic departments won't have a prayer of keeping pace. [ESPN]
? I feel a Slive. SEC commissioner Mike Slive said Wednesday he plans to introduce legislation combating oversigning and other aspects of "roster management" at conference meetings in Destin, Fla., later this month, though he kept his cards close to the vest about what that might entail. "It's a question of over-signing, grayshirting, early admissions, summer school admission," Slive told the Macon Telegraph. "We've put together what we call a bit of a package to address these issues, that will give our people a chance to think about these issues in a more global fashion. So then it will be an important discussion item in Destin." From the sounds of it, the "discussion" will likely result in a vote, which I'd bet splits along divisional lines. [Macon Telegraph]
"I think I can say we're just going a different direction with this medical situation," Riley said. "We're going to have new leadership, and a new culture." [The Oregonian]
? Happy trails. Arkansas offensive lineman Seth Oxner, a full-time starter in 2009 and a key backup last year, confirmed Wednesday he's leaving the team with a year of eligibility remaining after earning his degree in applied exercise science last weekend. Oxner didn't elaborate on his immediate plans, but is expected to return to his hometown to finish his career with the world famous Boll Weevils of Arkansas-Monticello. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]
Quickly… Jim Tressel says Brady Hoke boosts the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, but doesn't elaborate. … Georgia and Clemson set dates for another temporary renewal of hostilities. … Oklahoma breaks out the ponies for Gameday. … Purdue's 15-man class may be losing another member. … ESPN on the Aaron Douglas fiasco. … A Supreme Court justice compares critics of the court to bickering SEC fans. … And former Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen is keeping it hefty in arena ball.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Tragedy in Alabama puts football in perspective
No college football city has been hit harder in the past month than Tuscaloosa.
That's why Alabama coach Nick Saban is impatiently waiting for the college football season to begin not only to provide a distraction to the city, but also to make it feel good again.
"I think they're two different things and I think we should look at them that way," Saban said during special radio broadcast of "Hey Coach Helping Out," from Bryant-Denny Stadium on Monday. "The season will be a lot of fun, and it will be an escape for a lot of people who have had a lot of heartbreak, through what they've been through with this storm, but we'll still be supporting, rebuilding and trying to help those who need it."
The radio show was used to raise funds for Alabama's Acts of Kindness Fund and other organizations to help with the relief following the tornadoes on April 27.
Sports Illustrated is also helping with the relief effort by bringing awareness to the destruction, including a cover shot of a tornado-ravaged street and former Alabama player Javier Arenas looking on. It's a poignant juxtaposition of Tuscaloosa and its beloved Tide and how the two need each other now more than ever.
But the city might need some foes, too.
Dennis Dodd, senior writer for CBSSports.com, proposed a charity football game in his column Tuesday morning. Rivals Alabama and Auburn, taking to the gridiron for a cause bigger than any rivalry and one that affects both cities, since Auburn also suffered damage from the storms.
From Dodd's column:
I'm not going to pretend to offer a solution to the suffering, maybe just a bit of healing. I checked with the NCAA about staging an August scrimmage between Alabama and Auburn to raise money for the tornado victims. The process is fairly simple. A request would have to be made to the NCAA Subcommittee on Legislative Affairs. NCAA staffers would kick it around and consider one-time relief from the rule that prohibits scrimmages in preseason practice.
The NCAA isn't saying whether such a thing would be allowed, or considered. There hasn't been much of a response from Alabama and Auburn. The issue basically is starting with this column, but I'm hoping it doesn't end here. The state of Alabama needs something good to happen. Douglas' death and the tornadoes reminded everyone there are things more important than what a lot of fans believe is the most important.
Football.
Saban shared Dodd's sentiment during the radio show Monday. The day before, Saban, more than 30 Alabama players and several other Alabama coaches and officials attended Douglas' funeral in Knoxville, Tenn. Before Douglas arrived at Alabama, he played at Tennessee and Arizona Western College. The Alabama contingent stood side-by-side with former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer and several of Douglas' former Tennessee teammates and teammates from Arizona Western.
"These things we're talking about are about people," Saban said. "It has nothing to do with where you went to school or who you're rooting for, how much passion you have when the game starts. It has nothing to do with that, it's about people and doing the right thing to support people regardless.
"Having great rivalries, there's nothing wrong with that either, but this is a great opportunity to keep those in perspective and keep them on the field."
Graham Watson is a regular contributor to Dr. Saturday. Follow her on Twitter: @Yahoo_Graham
Daniel Tosh’s ongoing Saban hate draws the ire of Alabama fans
Daniel Tosh, host of Comedy Central Tosh.0, often goes out of his way to take shots at Alabama coach Nick Saban. It's a running joke on the show thanks to two Alabama grads (and diehard Crimson Tide football supporters) on the writing staff and Tosh's love of the Miami Dolphins, the team Saban quit after two years to become head coach at Alabama.
Once, Tosh took a sword to the head of a Saban Fathead. He's also proclaimed his hatred for Saban many times on the show.
Well, on Tuesday, Tosh might have let his vitriol toward Saban get the best of him. While asking viewers to donate money toward Alabama's tornado relief, Tosh said: "Apparently God hates Nick Saban more than I do," while showing a picture of a destroyed house in the background. He also made several other comments about Alabamans, which, again, are a part of the mean-spirited shtick of the show.
Of course, Tosh's comments earned a mixed reaction from those in Alabama.
Curtsy (female version of the hat tip) to SbB
McIlroy and Woods still have reasons to be positive
One of the most riveting final rounds at the Masters left Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy dealing with bitter disappointment, although they each appear to have bright prospects going forward.
Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2011/04/12/mcilroy-and-woods-still-have-reasons-to-be-positive/
WAC expansion: Utah rivals star in the latest round of finger-pointing
Utah State and Utah Valley University are already in a heated rivalry and they're not even in the same conference yet. Heck, Utah Valley won't even be in an official NCAA-recognized conference until August. And according to Utah Valley officials, Utah State is ensuring that the Wolverines won't have a chance to improve their conference status.
A story in the Salt Lake Tribune this week quotes Utah Valley officials as saying that they think Utah State is squashing the Wolverines potential entrance into the WAC because the Aggies don't want to compete for basketball recruits, but Utah State claims the WAC needs to focus on football membership.
"Other people in the WAC tell me that if Utah State would support us … we would get in," Utah Valley athletic director Michael Jacobsen told the paper. "We don't think that we're getting that support."
With the Mountain West raiding the WAC during the past couple years -- Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii have all switched conferences -- the WAC is slated to have eight members for 2012-13. The conference was hoping to rectify that membership issue on June 14 when the league presidents meet in Park City, Utah. Utah Valley was among the schools being considered.
But Utah Valley does not have football and Jacobsen told the paper that Utah State officials have told him that WAC membership is focused on adding football schools at this time.
Utah State also vehemently denies that its trying to block Utah Valley from the WAC.
"That's a bunch of B.S.," Utah State president Stan Albrecht said. "There's nothing to block. We haven't even met yet. People have been getting way ahead of themselves on the issue, and it's unfortunate. Until we meet in June, there's really nothing to talk about. The notion that we wouldn't want to compete for recruits is completely untrue. Give me a break. We've competed for decades against Utah and BYU, and we've done quite well."
Honestly, the WAC can't really afford to be blocking any potential members at this point. The current membership is shaky at best. Even Utah State sought entrance into the Mountain West when other teams started leaving the WAC. But if the WAC is to rebuild, it has to do so with an open mind and open doors. There aren't that many teams available and not that many teams that would bring something worthwhile to the conference. And while, yes, the WAC should be focusing on adding schools with football, it needs membership to stay afloat and continue being attractive to television, recruits and its fanbase.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Peter King Bids a Fond Farewell to Dick Ebersol
When we last left National Sportswriter of the Year Peter King, he was giving us his unbiased biased opinion of Cris Collinsworth’s possibly insightful (or maybe not) thoughts on the lockout and making baseless speculations based off of radio interviews that never happened. So what of this week? Is climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro like a football [...]
Source: http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/2011/05/peter-king-bids-a-fond-farewell-to-dick-ebersol.html
Bombs Away
The Texas Rangers hit five home Saturday night, tying their game high for the season as they blew out the Royals 10-1. The Rangers and Yankees are the only teams to collect five home runs in a game twice this season. The Nationals, with six homers in a game on May 20th have the most [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/eoplsPFnIKQ/click.phdo
Pac-12 lets the fans decide the championship game logo
The Pac-12 is the people's conference.
At least it is for the weekend.
The conference announced today that it was a launching a campaign allowing fans to pick the logo for the inaugural Pac-12 Championship Game.
Voting opens today and fans can choose from four different logo designs. Voting ends May 30 at 5 p.m. PT. The logo with the most votes will be the official trademark for the foreseeable future.
The game is Dec. 2.
"With our championship game being played on one of our campuses, we already know the fans are going to have a huge impact on the game come December," Pac-10 Chief Marketing Officer Danette Leighton said in a statement. "We are very thankful to the fans and alumni that make up the Pac-12 and we thought this would be a fun way to get them involved early and help influence the first-ever Pac-12 Football Championship game."
Personally, I like the second logo. It's classy and yet mildly intimidating. Kind of like the conference itself. Zing!
The 10-man rotation, starring Joakim Noah’s parting shot
A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C: SB Nation. Joakim Noah says the Heat are "Hollywood as hell, but they're a very good team." Love you, Joakim, but you mispronounced "great."
PF: TBJ. Jason Terry can't forget 2006. Neither can we, bub. Neither can we.
SF: At the Hive. Hey, remember when the Hornets upset the Lakers to start the playoffs 42 years ago?
SG: Red 94. Why the Rockets' dismissal of Rick Adelman was the needed move.
PG: SB Nation Chicago. Why the pull up jumper is not Derrick Rose's version of "his shot."
6th: Negative Dunkalectics. A good, nuanced piece on television coverage of the NBA.
7th: Hoopinion. It's a week old, but a fine review of Hawks GM Rick Sund.
8th: The Painted Area. Breaking down Mike Brown's hiring in Los Angeles.
9th: NBA Playbook. What the Bulls should have run, late.
10th: The Point Forward. Hopefully the last word on the LeBron/Jordan mess from Scottie Pippen.
Got a link or tip for Ball Don't Lie? Holler at me at KD_BDL_ED (at) yahoo.com, or follow me on Twitter.
Kelly: “Notre Dame will be taken serious when they beat an SEC team”
Brian Kelly went 8-5 last season, but knows that isn't good enough at Notre Dame, not even for a rookie coach.
Notre Dame has come under fire in recent years for scheduling softer opponents and staying away from the big boys in college football. Kelly hasn't shied away from questions about scheduling and knows that the Irish have to play better opponents to earn the respect they once had.
"Notre Dame will be taken serious when they beat an SEC team," Kelly said while speaking to the Notre Dame Club of Northern Alabama in Huntsville, Ala., on Tuesday.
However, when asked specifically about scheduling an SEC opponent, Kelly did not give a definitive answer.
Notre Dame hasn't played an SEC team since facing LSU in the 2007 Sugar Bowl. The Irish lost that game 41-14. The last time the Irish beat an SEC team was 2005 when they toppled Tennessee 41-21.
Kelly knows all about football in the South. As a coach at Grand Valley State in Michigan, Kelly played in three consecutive Division II championship games in Florence, Ala. He won titles in 2002 and '03.
"Alabama has been good to me," said Kelly, who donated $5,000 for the state's tornado relief. "I know 'Sweet Home Alabama' by every word. I know about Muscle Shoals. And I know about Alabama and how passionate this state is about football."
The state of Alabama has won the last two national championships and the SEC has won the last five. It's a model Kelly said he'd like to emulate at Notre Dame and �he knows that the Irish faithful are getting impatient.
"I don't think I have much time," Kelly said. "I don't mind listening about the past. I think that's great and I don't mind being reminded about it. I don't like to mortgage my future. I like to live in the present. And in the present, we need to win at Notre Dame.
"We need to win right now."
Saturday, May 28, 2011
GO AND VOTE FOR MONICA AT SPIKE RIGHT NOW
Yes, this is urgent. But fear not, you still have time — at least until the end of business today — to vote for Monica and help her win Spike’s Bracketmaster Challenge.
Well, actually, you can win stuff — and help charity. More details to follow. For now, get caught up with Monica real quick …Monica [...]
Well, actually, you can win stuff — and help charity. More details to follow. For now, get caught up with Monica real quick …Monica [...]
Source: http://brahsome.com/2011/03/02/go-and-vote-for-monica-at-spike-right-now/
Video: Vanderbilt’s open tryouts bear fruit, unintentional comedy
If you're one of the legions of drunk SEC fans who have ever boasted "Even I can play for Vanderbilt" —�or one of the legions of sober fans who have ever thought it —�well, maybe you're right. Back in February, Vandy held open tryouts for the first time in school history for any floppy-haired frat boy in the student body with a high school letter and the guts to show up:
… and after spring practice, went back to catch up with the handful who actually made it:
… didn't make the cut. But if the Commodores don't give him a chance to bust his enthusiastic hind quarters for the role of "Mr. C," at least, they're missing a huge opportunity. Honestly, what's the worst that could happen?
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Hat tip: Blutarsky
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Ja’Juan Story tells Florida fans more than they want to know in Q&A
Most freshmen are shy before they arrive on campus and well into their first year.
On Tuesday, Florida coach Will Muschamp may have wanted to invoke that rule after reading a Q&A with incoming receiver Ja'Juan Story, who described his pregame ritual in graphic detail.
Q: What's your favorite pre-game ritual?
A: Well, I take a doodoo. Before every game I doodoo.
Q: That's your FAVORITE pregame ritual?
A: Well, that's the only thing I do. That's one thing I have to do before every game, or I won't feel energy, and I'll just feel slow. When I do I just feel light on my feet and everything, and I feel faster, so that's what I do.
Q: You know I'm going to write this in a story right?
A: Well, I mean, that's what it is. I doodoo and then listen to Katy Perry.
You've got to admire the kid's candor, yet cringe a little bit. He's being totally honest, which is to be great, but some things are TMI. I'm sure Story isn't the only player who engages in this ritual (sans the Katy Perry), but it will be funny to see how his new teammates mock him for it when he arrives on campus. Will there be a special toilet reserved for him? How about a box of wipes in his locker? Air freshener and a magazine? The possibilities are endless.
While these three questions have become the highlight of the Q&A, Story did have some good things to say about life, challenges he's faced, his mom, of course football, and my favorite, his most embarrassing moment on the field.
Q: What's your most embarrassing moment on the field?
A: I was running, I was gonna score a touchdown and then some kid came behind me and grabbed my pants down, and my pants came down, so it was pretty embarrassing. I think I turned red a little bit. My booty was out, it was pretty embarrassing.
Story, a four-star recruit with 4.4 speed, does have ambitions beyond football. In an earlier interview with InsidetheGators.com, Story said that if he makes it to the NFL, he wants to start a charity that helps underprivileged kids. And other than winning a national championship at Florida, Story's goal is to make the Dean's list.
While Story might develop a filter as he progress through college and deals with hordes of media, it's kind of refreshing (and probably scary for the coaches) to find a young player that's comfortable talking about, well, anything.
Is Maria Sharapova the new French Open favorite?
That's what the oddsmakers say. With losses to Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur, they've installed Sharapova as the co-favorite, along with Victoria Azarenka, to hoist the trophy next Saturday.
If it sounds like wishful thinking, perhaps it is. Sharapova's status as favorite has every bit as much to do with her star power than it does her game. She's playing her best tennis in years, but there's been a slight overvaluation of her recent clay court exploits considering that her biggest wins in Rome, a tournament she won, were over the aforementioned Wozniacki and Stosur. In Madrid, Sharapova struggled to beat Arantxa Rus and Ekaterina Makarova. She only beat Victoria Azarenka in Rome after Azarenka retired from the match. This is the new favorite?
Why not? The main question regarding Sharapova's Grand Slam chances were whether she could keep her serve from going off the rails in seven straight matches. And, if she couldn't, would she survive it? Against Caroline Garcia, the answer was yes. Maybe she got it out of her system. Maybe the comeback, in addition to the win in Rome, gave Sharapova the subtle confidence boost she needed to have confidence while standing on the baseline. Possible upcoming opponents like Agnieszka Radwanska, Yanina Wickmayer or Maria Kirilenko won't be as forgiving as Garcia, but they have flaws too. So do Azarenka, Francesca Schiavone, Vera Zvonareva and Petra Kvitova, for that matter.
The tournament is up for grabs. It's Maria Sharapova's for the taking.
Ray Small tries to backpedal his way into Ohio State’s heart
Former Ohio State receiver Ray Small, who told an Ohio State student newspaper that he sold Big Ten championship rings and other memorabilia, and received special deals on cars while at Ohio State, is now changing his story.
Small's comments in The Lantern were picked up and scrutinized by every major news outlet and subsequently, Small became a bigger enemy of Ohio State than the NCAA.
So naturally, Small started to backtrack Friday in an interview with WBNS-10TV.
"It's hard being an athlete," Small told the television station.�"That was basically what I was saying.�(The Lantern author) just flipped my words around and make the whole Buckeye Nation hate me."
However, The Lantern told the television station that it stands by its story and that it recorded its interview with Small.
It's no wonder Small is trying to flip his story. After The Lantern article came out, Small took some heat from former teammates.
"Show me a coward and I will show you Ray Small," center Mike Brewster said through his Twitter account Thursday.�"He isn't part of the sacred brotherhood anymore. Never on time, never accountable, never sacrificed for the team. Can you trust his word?"
But Small's change of heart is odd considering he is quoted in The Lantern story: "I don't see why it's a big deal."
Small's comments were just another punch in the gut for an Ohio State program that has endured a beating worse than Buster Posey. It seems like every day something new surfaces about improprieties and lack of institutional control. Small not only confirmed what we already knew -- five Ohio State players will miss the first five games of the 2011 season after selling memorabilia -- but he also showed that there was a blatant disregard for the rules by some Ohio State athletes.
"[Some student athletes] don't even think about NCAA rules," Small said.
It's too late to backtrack. The damage has already been done. And with The Lantern claiming it has�the interview on tape, Small is left to deal with the repercussion of telling the truth.
Former Real Madrid president compares Mourinho to Hitler
Bitter former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon is apparently still holding on to a lot of anger for the club and what more reasonable way to express that anger than to go on the radio and compare Jose Mourinho to Adolf Hitler?
From Goal.com:
Despite the inability to overtake rivals Barcelona in the league and in Europe, Mourinho is thought to still have the backing of supporters, something Calderon was keen to comment on.
"You can have millions of fans cheering for you, but Hitler was also acclaimed by millions of people before he took a tumble," the lawyer told Catalan radio station ONA FM.
He just compared a football manger to Hitler. Where do you even begin with that? I mean, that's the kind of statement that you don't even dignify with a response. Unless you're Jose Mourinho. In which case, this will probably be something he hammers away at all summer. He's probably feverishly drafting up a whole catalog of responses right now, in between trying to sell Karim Benzema and laughing maniacally over Real Madrid sacking his nemesis Jorge Valdano.
Calderon wasn't done there, though. Most people would go out on the Hitler comparison, but Calderon still had to talk about current Real president Florentino Perez and work in a reference to erectile dysfunction...
"I feel sorry for Madrid and Florentino. Yesterday [during the announcement that Valdano will leave Madrid] I had the sensation of seeing a student who didn't know the lesson taking a primary exam," he added.
"They talked so much about dysfunction that they may as well of been talking about erectile dysfunction. It reflects a pathetic picture. It was like seeing a corpse in search of a coffin."
Well, it takes one to know one, Ramon. It takes one to know one.
Photo: Getty Images
Ray Small tries to backpedal his way into Ohio State’s heart
Former Ohio State receiver Ray Small, who told an Ohio State student newspaper that he sold Big Ten championship rings and other memorabilia, and received special deals on cars while at Ohio State, is now changing his story.
Small's comments in The Lantern were picked up and scrutinized by every major news outlet and subsequently, Small became a bigger enemy of Ohio State than the NCAA.
So naturally, Small started to backtrack Friday in an interview with WBNS-10TV.
"It's hard being an athlete," Small told the television station.�"That was basically what I was saying.�(The Lantern author) just flipped my words around and make the whole Buckeye Nation hate me."
However, The Lantern told the television station that it stands by its story and that it recorded its interview with Small.
It's no wonder Small is trying to flip his story. After The Lantern article came out, Small took some heat from former teammates.
"Show me a coward and I will show you Ray Small," center Mike Brewster said through his Twitter account Thursday.�"He isn't part of the sacred brotherhood anymore. Never on time, never accountable, never sacrificed for the team. Can you trust his word?"
But Small's change of heart is odd considering he is quoted in The Lantern story: "I don't see why it's a big deal."
Small's comments were just another punch in the gut for an Ohio State program that has endured a beating worse than Buster Posey. It seems like every day something new surfaces about improprieties and lack of institutional control. Small not only confirmed what we already knew -- five Ohio State players will miss the first five games of the 2011 season after selling memorabilia -- but he also showed that there was a blatant disregard for the rules by some Ohio State athletes.
"[Some student athletes] don't even think about NCAA rules," Small said.
It's too late to backtrack. The damage has already been done. And with The Lantern claiming it has�the interview on tape, Small is left to deal with the repercussion of telling the truth.
Charges Dropped Against Lowe
Prosecutors dropped the DUI charges against Derek Lowe: One of Lowe’s attorneys, Cory Yager, said Thursday that solicitor Raines Carter, the chief prosecutor in Atlanta Municipal Court, agreed to dismiss the charges for lack of evidence. Yager says police video following the April 28 arrest showed Lowe “did remarkably well” in his field sobriety tests [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/3jojcdNzYgM/click.phdo
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wozniacki routed at French Open; what’s next for the world No. 1?
The question of Caroline Wozniacki winning a Grand Slam was once an issue of "when, not if." Over the last few majors, it turned into an "if, not when." Following a spiritless loss to Daniela Hantuchova in the third round of the French Open, "if" just became a lot more doubtful.
The world No. 1 was as off as a top seed can be in the first week of a Grand Slam during Friday's 6-1, 6-3 loss to the 28-year-old Slovakian. Wozniacki failed to put away easy shots, exhibited lazy footwork and took bizarre half-strokes at balls that bordered on indifference. For a player known for her competitiveness, Wozniacki's effort was apathetic, at best.
It wasn't until she broke Hantuchova in the second set after hitting a ball that bounced twice that the 20-year-old Dane showed any signs of life. By then, it was too late. Wozniacki got it to 5-3 in the second set and there was a feeling she might be turning it around against Hantuchova, who's traditionally had trouble closing out matches. A few unforced errors on her serve later, the comeback bid ended.
With Kim Clijsters losing on Thursday, the WTA's Kevin Fischer notes this is the first time in the Open era that both the No. 1 and No. 2 women's seed failed to make the round of 16 in a Grand Slam.
What's next for Wozniacki? She'll retain the No. 1 ranking through Wimbledon, which means she'll hear the same "can you win a Slam?" questions in London that she was asked in New York, Melbourne and Paris. Though Wozniacki won't turn 21 until this summer and continues to play well at non-Slams, the book is out on how to counter her defensive play. For too long, opponents tried to beat Wozniacki at her own game. Now, after some had success this spring playing aggressively and going for winners rather than engaging in long rallies, Wozniacki is getting lost in big matches. She was never close against Hantuchova.
Don't write her off yet, though. She's far too young and, more importantly, far too confident in herself and her talents. A lesser player would be ruined by questions about whether they deserve to be No. 1 or if they can win a Slam. Dinara Safina can attest to this. Such queries seem to embolden Wozniacki. Rather than believing the criticism, Wozniacki has the makings of someone who'd like to prove it wrong. It's going to happen one day.
When, not if.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? John Elway angry about punk rock band's name
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? Deaf fighter's shot to prove he's 'big league'
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Tales from tennis? fifth major
The Sony Ericsson Open tournament is considered the fifth major by most of the tennis fraternity. It became a week with many story lines.
Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2011/04/05/tales-from-tennis-fifth-major/
You May Now Stare At Rex Ryan Anytime You Like
Horrid media tour appearances notwithstanding, Rex Ryan seems to be doing well with his new book. It’s holding its own on Amazon and is getting generally positive reviews. I won’t be able to enjoy it until the Japanese version comes out, then my masseuse can read it to me. Kiko gets so confused with all [...]
Source: http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/2011/05/you-may-now-stare-at-rex-ryan-anytime-you-like.html
The roto gamer’s guide to non-closing relievers
One of our favorite preseason topics around here is, of course, the strategic deployment of elite middle relievers. In a roto league with a low innings cap -- like, for instance, a Yahoo! public format -- you can essentially construct an ace from the free agent pool, adding 2-3 of the best available non-closing relief pitchers. If you're an attentive fantasy manager, you still won't have much trouble hitting 1,400 total innings.
To illustrate that this particular piece of advice is NOT one of those things that experts routinely recommend but would never actually do, here's a (fuzzy) snapshot of my pitching staff in the Yahoo! Friends & Family League...
Just in case you can't quite make out all the tiny names (apologies), that's Vinnie Pestano, Mike Dunn, Jose Contreras and Ernesto Frieri in the final four active pitching slots. None of those guys are currently getting saves in the big leagues, but they're all piling up Ks, maintaining excellent fantasy ratios.
If they continue to do so (not a given), those four guys will give me the equivalent production of a top-tier starter. And, since we use an innings max of 1,250 in the F&F, I'll have no trouble hitting the cap. My rotation is 21 innings ahead of the pace at the moment.
As a public service to the Yahoo! community, here's a complete list of non-closing major league relievers who've posted a K/9 of 9.0 or better this season, over 15-plus innings:
It's like a buffet of Ks, basically. Hopefully there's enough information included for you to decide which names are too sketchy to roster, and which are appealing. Many, but not all, are next in line to close in their respective bullpens.
And Mike Adams' numbers are ridiculous ... just throwin' that out there.
---
Photo via US Presswire
Higher calling compelled Mark Richt to sell his second home
Georgia coach Mark Richt is not selling his lake home because he thinks he's going to be fired.
That's why he waited until the offseason to place his Hart County lake home, valued at nearly $2 million, on the market. But because Richt is on the proverbial coaching hotseat, the real estate move caused mass speculation about why he would sell.
"I was actually compelled to do this much earlier," Richt told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I made the decision to do it a while ago but I didn't want to do it during the season or during recruiting because I knew it would be blown out of proportion."
And Richt would be the first to tell you that he didn't do it for the money, he did it for a higher power.
In an interview with Chip Towers, the AJC's Georgia beat writer, Richt states that he read a book called "The Hole in Our Gospel," by Richard Stearns, and it compelled him to downsize. The lake home is actually Richt's second home.
"I'd challenge anybody to read this book and not be affected by it, Richt said. "We just live in such wealth here in America. And I'm talking about everybody. Anybody who's making 30 grand a year is extremely wealthy compared to rest of the people in the world. These kids, these families will walk two or three miles, half a day or more, to get water that's really not healthy. They're drinking stuff that's not safe for them. Then children die of AIDS, they die of malaria and they die of dehydration. Kids end up dying or the parents die and they've got nothing.
"This book just talks about how much of that is going on around the world and, if it was sitting right outside our door, what would we do about it? It's a very compelling book. Compelling enough for me to say, 'you know what, I don't want to pour money into a home like that when I can use it for better things, for eternal things.' It was just very alarming to find out what's going on out there and we need to do something about it."
Stearns is the president of World Vision U.S., and Richt believes in the book and the World Vision cause so much that he and his family are going to Honduras later this summer to help build water wells.
This story is no doubt a cautionary tale about jumping the gun and making assumptions. In this day and age when college coaching salaries are going through the roof, it's actually pretty admirable of Richt, who makes $3 million a year, to take into consideration that not everyone has been as lucky.
Graham Watson is a regular contributor to Dr. Saturday. Follow her on Twitter @Yahoo_Graham
Making it Close
Brett Anderson kept the Angels off the board for eight innings, giving up just three hits and three walks. With a 4-0 lead in the ninth, the Athletics brought on Grant Balfour in a non-save situation. Grant lived up to his name, issuing one walk, but it was the three-run homer by Mark Trumbo that [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/vOeZqt1RhgU/click.phdo
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