Monson's Memos

Back to It - NBA thoughts

2011-12-21T16:43:00.001-08:00

Well, I've been gone for a couple of years. For those of you who don't know me that well, which I doubt isn't many of you, I've been in Brazil for the last two years. It was an amazing experience and if anyone wants to hear about it, shoot me an email.

But it's officially time for me to get reacquainted with the wide world of sports again, as ABC so lovingly calls it. After being completely removed from the hardwood, yard, and gridiron (along with the pitch and many other notable sports playing fields), I'll be doing my research and spilling my guts on what I think about the exciting world that we call sports.

I just want to give a quick rant about the NBA revival which we are all eagerly anticipating the day after Santa hits the chimneys. Look, as a sports lover I'm glad that things got resolved in the NBA lockout because that means that we get to watch more sports. But something that I've always been annoyed about when it comes to the NBA is how much money these guys make. The guys make insane amounts of money to play an 82-game season. I've admired baseball more in that regard because these guys play double, play longer, and make sometimes LESS than these ballers do on the hardwood. It's all about respect. Maybe that's why I enjoy college basketball more; at least those guys aren't involved in Sprite commercials or Adidas ads. I know a lot of you are die hard basketball fans so don't take this personally. Don't get me wrong either, because I like the NBA. I just think it's no longer the NBA that I knew when I used to park it in our 1976 green suede recliner to watch the NBA on NBC from 1990-1996. That basketball world unfortunately doesn't exist anymore.

So on that note, have a Merry Christmas watching your favorite NBA squad take it to the arena. Here's your lineups.

The Unthinkable

2009-03-25T22:55:00.001-07:00

If you are dead to the world of college basketball, then you probably don't have the slightest clue that March Madness is going on, and your co-workers are most likely looking at you weird when you don't know what they mean when they ask you, "how does your bracket look?" For that, I'm sorry and invite you to watch the Sweet 16 games this weekend for one of the most exciting experiences in your life.

The brackets? Well, they mostly are going as planned except for a lone #12 seed amidst some of the best teams in the country. That team: the University of Arizona Wildcats, my alma mater. Obviously I'm all for the Wildcats and carry a big bias towards them. But the most important question now that they are in the Sweet 16 is: Can they knock off the #1 seeded Louisville Cardinals? Let's take a look.

The big component is how they match up. Louisville is huge. And I mean, HUGE. Besides the 6'1" Jerry Smith, and the midget 5'10" Andre McGee, they all are over 6'6". Now in basketball height is an advantage but athletic ability will always take precedent. These guys are both. Anyone who is anyone has this team in the championship game knocking off the cheaters of UCONN to get to the Final Four. These guys don't have one major go-to player, but they spread the points around well, which means their bench is productive. Not to mention, the Big East is one of the best conferences, if not THE best conference this year in college basketball. 5 of the 16 teams left in the tournament are from this conference which says plenty about what kind of competition the Cardinals faced throughout the season.

The Wildcats on the other hand had an on and off year. They went on a 7-game run and knocked off 5 teams that were in the top 25, including Gonzaga and Kansas who are still left in the tournament. Can this be enough for them to win? Who knows. There are certain things that have to happen in order for Arizona to knock off one of the overall #1 seed.

-Wise, Budinger, and Hill need to combine for at least 15 pts. each

-Fogg and Horne need to put up points when needed

-Defense has to continue to be strong

-Hill can't get into foul trouble

-Zane Johnson needs to hit the 3's when he gets the shot

I think if these things happen, they have a good shot at keeping up with Louisville. Arizona was said to be the LAST TEAM SELECTED for this years tournament. Most experts said that they didn't even deserve to be there. The case hasn't been made quite yet that they should be, after only beating a ridiculously high 5 seed in Utah, and the surprise in the first round Cleveland State. There will be much to talk about if the unthinkable happens at 4:07 PST on Friday night. Can the #12 seed upset the #1?

TIGER

2009-02-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

Well if you haven't heard already, he's back. He's been back for two days. Tiger Woods came out and went birdie-eagle in his first two holes of match play at the WGC at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Marana, Arizona. On a side note, those of us at The University of Arizona used to refer to the people from Marana as T-Loc's, short for Tucson locals. They take on a personality one wouldn't believe. Back to Woods. He opened up his round against the 64th ranked player in the world, the Australian Brendan Jones. What a daunting task to play against the guy who is the most talked about golfer in the entire world, and this is his comeback after miraculously winning the 2008 U.S. Open on a disintegrated left knee. The gallery perhaps had a few more people in it than normal.

Woods looked good. I've made it a point to watch every tournament this year (thanks to the glorious Golf Channel), and I was eager to see the media-hyped return of Eldrick. The critics are right. His knee does look stronger than at his peak before the injury. I think this could strengthen him more than hinder him, allowing him to pulverize drives 380-yards, and hitting 180-yard sand wedges. As expected his short game could use more work, but that's what happens when you haven't played for over 6 months. From my recliner, he was turning and connecting with ease. He did have quite a few missed fairways and greens, but this was a great opportunity to release him back to the wild of competitive golf. As we know, he lost in his second round to Tim Clark, but I say hey, that's the beauty about the game of golf. Even the #1 player in the world is beatable if you get hot. And Clark certainly did, birdieing holes 11, 12, and 13 to take him 3 up with 5 to play. Woods simply couldn't answer that birdie run and lost on the 16th when Clark birdied to win 4 & 2.

So where does Tiger go after this? I say you better get his green jacket sized up because I believe he will make a run at the Master's. Don't count out the other majors either, to possibly win the grand slam of golf all in one year. It's a daunting task I know, but Tiger is up to it, and I know it will happen sooner or later. Why not this year? He's worked hard, now has two children at home, and feels better than ever. Once the flat stick starts to drain putts from unthinkable spots on the green, players better be on their guard. His 2009 schedule is still up in the air, but you already know he's punched his card to play at Augusta come April. I can't wait and neither can you.

Tainted Game?

2009-02-09T16:20:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are unaware of the recent events surrounding New York Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez, let me shed a little light on it for you. It has recently been found that Rodriguez tested positive for banned substances in 2003 while with the Texas Rangers. At the time, it was not something that would get you a suspension or removal from the game of baseball. At the time, according to Rodriguez, it was a "loosey-goosey" era. I want to get into it a little bit on how the information surrounding Rodriguez has now tainted the view of baseball players for many fans, especially yours truly.

The thing that most people fail to realize is that doing steroids in baseball in the early 2000s was as much apart of the game as the pitcher throwing the ball to the catcher. I don't doubt that over 90% of the players at the time were using some form of steroid to 'enhance' their play on the field. The question remains however, are they still using now? Are there forms of steroids available now that are undetectable? Given the recent events surrounding Rodriguez, Pettitte, Clemens and Bonds, I wouldn't doubt it.

Back to Rodriguez. Here is a player who made the jump into the major leagues at the age of 18. RARELY does that happen in the game of baseball unless you have serious talent. That is something that I will not take away from Rodriguez, the guy can play baseball. He played in the Mariner's system and then was given the most lucrative offer in the history of Major League Baseball to play for the Texas Rangers for $256 million for 10 years. Of course Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees, who in 2007 gave him a deal for $275 million for 10 years. It's an understatement that this guy is making some money. However, being under the steroids radar has helped him achieve that, but now that it's all out there, you wonder how much he really was using. He says that it was only from 2001-2003. Do you believe him? It's tough to say.

My point about the use of steroids by all these players, is that it gives you a horrible view about what it takes to be a professional athlete. These guys are talented, you have to give them that, but in this game that isn't enough. Where you have to play 182 games, you could become injured and lose your roster spot for good. The pressure is high. But not high enough to do something like that. I've been against it from the beginning and want to see Bonds and Clemens go down for it. A-Rod will escape it all by coming clean. I commend him for that. It's a shame that all of it is coming out now, giving us a surreal look at the post as though it has been tainted.

There's one player that has avoided all of this. A player who would have had the opportunity to beat the Babe's record if he wasn't injured. My favorite player: Ken Griffey Jr. The guy is a shoe-in for the hall, and has never been linked to using steroids. I hope that it never comes out that he has. I believe baseball is heading in the right direction, but it's hard not to just sit back and think while sitting at the ballpark, "Is that guy using steroids?" You may never know.

Great Writing Part III

2009-01-30T16:08:00.000-08:00

Again, there are times when commercials are mind numbing, and times when they truly make you applaud what just took place. Fed Ex has been doing a great campaign for their commercials on the Golf Channel, promoting their business and the race for the Fed Ex Cup. This was my favorite of the bunch. Let me know how you like it.

Oh, Was That Your Face?

2009-01-30T00:08:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, something happened on the hardwood in Tucson that was absolutely uncalled for. In the second half of the college basketball game between Arizona and Houston, Houston guard Aubrey Coleman stomped on the face of Arizona's Chase Budinger after he fell to the floor. Here's the video for those who didn't see it:

For those of you who don't believe that this was intentional (Houston fans) you are clearly mistaken. Could it have been that Coleman was upset Budinger was an All-American and he wasn't? Maybe it was the fans in McKale that just got under his skin a little too much. Either way, Coleman's act was intentional. His words were, "I love the game too much do something like that intentionally. I want to say I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. I know that God knows what is in my heart, but I am hopeful that Chase will understand and forgive."

Aubrey, I hate to break it to you, but if you were to step on his face by accident, wouldn't you lift your foot up as a reaction? Not continue with a forceful motion to the floor like you unknowingly stepped on a piece of gum. Aubrey Coleman, what you did was a disgrace to college basketball. It just shows the type of attitudes that these players have and carry with them into the NBA.

Coleman was suspended one game by Conference USA for violation of the league's sportsmanship policy. After the incident, the momentum went with Arizona, forcing overtime, and ultimately favored with the Cats who won the game 96-90.

The Burress Debacle

2008-12-04T01:55:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while, but I decided that I needed to weigh in on the recent shenanigans of New York Giants Wide Receiver Plaxico Burress. For those who haven't heard the story, Burress carried a gun--loaded for that matter--into a nightclub and ended up 'accidentally' shooting himself in the thigh. He then proceeded to leave the nightclub with one of his teammates, linebacker Antonio Pierce, and the two didn't make it to a hospital for the next two hours.

Now, what went on in those two hours is the mystery behind the scandal, but what isn't a mystery is the jail time that Burress is facing. In New York, it is illegal to carry a gun without a permit, and the gun must be licensed and registered in the state of New York. The penalty for breaking this law is a class four felony, and it carries a mandatory 3.5 years in prison. Plaxico turned himself in on Monday, and now the waiting begins until the grand jury of New York decides whether to indict him.

I love sports. Obviously I admire some of the greats for the way they play their respective sports on the field. But many of the professional athletes today are turning into absolute wrecking balls. Here's my opinion: it all starts with the money. The amount these guys get paid, especially in the NBA, is absolutely insane. Don't get me wrong, these guys can make a very substantial living but after a certain point, they are so deep in money that they create a false reality. They start to believe that nothing is above them. That nothing can stop them. We see and read this about professional athletes all the time.

Here's my verdict: Burress will get the full extent of the law and be sentenced to prison for 3.5 years. The New York Giants will release him, but run into some difficulties with the huge contract that they offered him after winning the Super Bowl last season. It's a sad thing, but the question will always be asked...why did he carry the gun into the club in the first place? What also is sad, is that Antonio Pierce could be charged with something. He helped Plaxico, in trying to conceal what happened. I say leave him alone and put it all on Burress, but I'm sure New York law enforcement would like their hands on two professional athletes.

So the question goes to you, what will happen to Plaxico Burress?

World Series - Intermission

2008-10-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

I woke up to this morning to find myself stranded in Philadelphia in the bottom of the sixth inning in game 5 of the World Series. I think it would be absolutely awesome if the players were forced to get going on the game at any minute. Meaning, that they would have to sleep at the park, keep entertained, and basically wait for a break in the weather to start the game. This could happen at 2 in the afternoon, or 3 in the morning. However, we all know that this isn't the case. It would appear that the longest inning in World Series history will probably come to a close around 5:30 PST on Wednesday.

How are my predictions holding up you say? Absolutely awful. Obviously. At least let me state my defense as to why the Tampa Bay Rays may throw away one of the greatest turn around stories in Major League Baseball.

It all starts with Scott Kazmir. The guy in the post season is not the same player we have seen for most of the season. This is not a good thing. When one of your best pitchers suddenly becomes another player in the most important series of the year, there could be trouble. And what do you know? That's exactly where the Rays find themselves.

Offense. Where is it? Probably somewhere in between Carl Crawford going deep and B.J. Upton stealing bases. The Rays simply aren't hitting. The thing is, are the Phillies' pitchers even that good? Yes, I'm talking about everyone OTHER than Cole Hamels. Kentucky Joe looked like one of the best pitchers in the game Sunday night. I guess it helps when you hit a home run to help your own cause. However way you look at it, the Rays are getting absolutely DEALT when it comes to pitching. A good question would be to ask Evan Longoria how many times he would like to strikeout this series (9 times in 4 games).

Defense. Also, where is it? It was summed up when Navarro threw down to second in the bottom of the ninth of game 3. Was it necessary? No. Was hitting Bruntlett needed? No. But it happened. So deal with it. Yes, there was a passed ball, so deal with it. I just don't see why a throw down to second was necessary. Of course we know what followed. Intentional walk to the flyin' Hawaiian, followed by another to Greg Dobbs, and a Carlos Ruiz chopper down third with an infield of 5 players. Game 3 should have belonged to the Rays.

Can the Rays do it?

Wow, good question Joel. I'm very, very skeptic. However, am I still believing that they can? Yes. Because if you know baseball, you know anything can happen.

How do they do it?

Obvious reasons. They have to get a solid outing of whomever comes out of the gate for them on the bump in the bottom of the 6th. They need to score immediately in the top of the 7th. If they can do this, they can build enough hope in their travels back to St. Petersburg. Having Evan Longoria see live pitching in this intermission is a MUST. The guy has to get his eye back. He looks like a fool up there. Iwamura needs to quit booting balls. There's a ton of things they need to do. But for one, they need to somehow find the team that won the A.L. East without a problem.

Whenever we get this thing going again, that is.

The Fall Classic

2008-10-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

People give up on hardball way to soon. It happens every year. College football rolls around, then NFL, then preseason basketball, WNBA Championships (just kidding) and everyone seems to forget that the MLB season started way back in April. Hey, I understand. 162 games, plus the playoffs is a lot of baseball. Some would admit that they don't even watch until this time of year because this is when players actually start playing. I agree with that about 50 percent. It took a lot of factors to get where both of these teams are now, but it's true, they do step their games up a notch come October. This is an obvious fact though, because their playing to stay alive. It's win, or go home.

This October, it's somewhat of a surprise of the two teams that will be playing for the World Series. I don't think anyone predicted these two teams to be here way back in Spring Training. But as the season rolled along (and this season the story is all about the Tampa Bay Rays) these two teams showed that they can compete. A world-class broadcaster was once asked what it would take to win a world championship. He simply replied, "Two solid pitchers." It's the truth. If you've got two solid arms leading you through the post season, it should buy your bats enough time to find some runs. When your pitching is struggling, it's a long shot for your team to make it to the series. So who are these teams two best pitchers that can guide their team to the championship? Well, let's take a look.

A.L. Champions: Tampa Bay Rays starting rotation (Season Stats)
Scott Kazmir (12-8, 3.49) 166Ks
James Shields (14-8, 3.56) 160Ks
Matt Garza (11-9, 3.70) 128Ks
Andy Sonnanstine (13-9, 4.38) 124Ks

Closer: David Price 14.0 IP, 12Ks, 3ER

- The two best for the Rays are Kazmir and Shields, who provide the most control on the bump. It's a good Lefty (Kazmir) and Righty (Shields) mix for the first two games. Kazmir struggled a couple times in the post season, but hung tough. I think these are two good arms to rely on. Garza and Sonnanstine are solid as well.

N.L. Champions: Philadelphia Phillies starting rotation (Season Stats)
Cole Hamels (14-10, 3.09) 196Ks
Brett Myers (10-13, 4.55) 163Ks
Jamie Moyer (16-7, 3.71) 123Ks
Joe Blanton (9-12, 4.69) 111Ks

Closer: Brad Lidge 69.1 IP, 92Ks, 15ER (41 saves)

-Knowing you have arguably the best closer in the game this year behind you is a definite bonus for this pitching staff. However, I don't feel like there are really two SOLID pitchers in this rotation. Cole Hamels is a given. The guy is just plain dirty. He's a southpaw with a fastball that wiggles. Jamie Moyer would be my number 2. The only problem with Moyer, besides the fact that he's 67 years old, is that he is hit or miss when it comes to performance. He doesn't strike a lot of guys out, but forces ground balls and pop fly's like a veteran should. But when he's off or gets hit early, he's useless. He did win 16 games for the Phils this season (and he's a former Mariner), so he does have that going for him.

Both of these teams have what it takes to manufacture runs for their ball club. It will all come down to what pitchers stay composed and what pitchers don't. The bullpen for both teams is decent, but I would say the Rays have more of an advantage in that department. With guys like J.P. Howell, Grant Balfour, and Dan Wheeler, the Rays should be able to hang tight until throwing the rookie in to close. When it comes to the Phils, you have J.C. Romero, Scott Eyre, and Clay Condrey to rely on. They are guys that can keep you in the game, but compared to the bullpen of the Rays, they just can't compete.

I'm not going to give the series to the Rays just yet. When you have guys like Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, and Chase Utley coming to the dish, the Phils should be able to score some runs. They all have improved their approaches to the plate this post season (even the strikeout machine Howard) and that means runs will be available. If the heart of this order gets hot, they can tack on some crooked numbers in any inning.

However, the Rays have a lot to play for. They are the surprise young ball club that has turned heads all season long. With the right mixture of managing and veteran players, this team has all the components of a championship team. I really believe that top to bottom, their order has guys who get great at-bats, and hit for power as well as to manufacture runs. All 9 hitters are capable of taking any pitcher deep. They've hit a ton of home runs this post-season, and I would expect that trend to continue in the world series.

My prediction: Rays in 6
What do you think?

Great Writing Part II

2008-10-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I've been on hiatus, but it's tough to be a graduate student and write more than I already have to. You may remember a post in the last few months about great writing. It was an old spice commercial and if you missed it you can just click here. But I wanted to post another commercial that I believe to be another great marketing ploy.

It's for Holiday Inn Express, and they are promoting their new "breakfast bar". So naturally the writers depict the breakfast bar as...you guessed it, an actual bar. They poke fun at the shenanigans that take place at your local pub, and use it in reference to breakfast. This was the one I thought to be the funniest, but there are many that are always good for a laugh. World Series prelude coming soon.

70-0 Routing Sends "I" Packin'

2008-09-10T01:54:00.000-07:00

The University of Arizona football team opened their 2008-2009 season against the Vandals of the University of Idaho. Quite possibly the worst team in NCAA D-1 football, the Vandals uniforms may even be worse than their game.

After losing the opener 70-0, the Vandals thought it was time for a change in the program. They figured, start with the embarrassing pants they have to wear. Located on the buttocks of the pant sits a large 'I', where they want those who attend the game looking, instead of at their horrible play on the field. But the 'I' will be the first thing to go, hoping for a miraculous spark and change in their play on the field.

Man, I'd hate to be the equipment manager that has to remove over 80 sewn-in letters from the back seat of the teams' bottoms. Interesting move. We'll see if it works out for them.

Are The Olympics Live?

2008-08-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

As a person who lives and dies by the media, I pick and prod at ways things could be done better when it comes to television, radio and the like. I'm sure most of us are avid Olympics watchers. The opening ceremonies alone were over 4 hours long, and those who watched got to see the largest LCD screen on the face of the planet. And then, the sports got underway.

Beijing is 15 hours ahead of us for those that live on the west coast. If you live in other places, do the math to determine how far ahead it is for your part of the nation, it's not tough. NBC, the leading broadcaster for anything and everything Olympics, usually has sports on in the early to late morning, then the big broadcast takes place in "prime time". Here's a secret for all of you who don't know already: those sports that you are watching in such high anticipation, hoping for the U.S. (or whatever country) to win the gold, have been over for quite some time.

The way I figure it, the sports that you are watching have been over for 3 hours. For those of us who have ESPN as our homepage, we cringe the minute we open our browsers because the headline usually reads: "Phelps wins gold" and we sit back and think, "no point in watching now".

Throughout all this, you are welcomed by the loving voice of Bob Costas saying, "Thanks for joining us, we'll have all the events for you LIVE tonight." Well actually, Mr. Costas, those events have been over for a while now, but thanks for the effort.

How does it feel when you turn on the television to watch that event you've been waiting 4 years for (maybe not but you're pretty excited) and they put up those four letters in the top right-hand side of the screen, then you realize, hey, this isn't live!?!

This has been the torture of my life these last 7 days. Knowing the outcome before I see it. It's almost as if I can see into the future. Do you think it's OK for NBC to lie to the public and say that the events are live? I sure don't.

Great Writing

2008-07-25T02:27:00.000-07:00

From time to time, I like to post videos of commercials that I feel are truly written well. Here's one that I feel merits a post. It's a new (somewhat) Old Spice commercial. The marketing/writing package is just brilliant.

Going Yard

2008-07-14T00:24:00.001-07:00

Heading into the All-Star break, it's interesting to look back at the first half of the season. There's been some ups and downs, some surprises, and hey, we've already seen one no-hitter. Two key trades have taken place with the home run hitting CC Sabathia to the Brewers and Rich Harden to the Cubs. With the addition of these two pitchers, the N.L. Central race just got a little tighter, and my pick for the N.L. Wild Card just got a little more solid.

But what about the home run hitters? Ryan Howard leads the major leagues with 28 HRs, but hasn't done much else, hitting .234 and has another league leading 129 strikeouts. Howard won't be heading back to this year's home run derby.

Who will be?

1. Lance Berkman - Houston Astros 22 HRs
2. Ryan Braun - Milwaukee Brewers 23 HRS
3. Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins 14 HRs
4. Josh Hamilton - Texas Rangers 21 HRs
5. Evan Longoria - Tampa Bay Rays 16 HRs
6. Grady Sizemore - Cleveland Indians 23 HRs
7. Dan Uggla - Florida Marlins 23 HRs
8. Chase Utley - Philadelphia Phillies 25 HRs

No Yankees will be putting on a home run show for their home fans at Yankee Stadium. I'm not complaining.

Who will win?

Great question. The feel good story of this years derby is that Josh Hamilton is having a 71-year-old pitch to him. His name, Clay Counsil. He coached Josh's older brother Jason in American Legion summer ball, but never had the chance to coach this year's RBI leader. Hamilton will advance, but he won't win the derby.

Ryan Braun obviously has the gusto to do it, but will fail to advance out of the first round.

Justin Morneau, the last addition to the field and the player with the least amount of home runs, may come in looking to turn some heads and bust out a few dongs. My guess is that he comes up short as he did in last year's derby.

What about Evan Longoria? The kid should win rookie of the year. My gut tells me that his glove is better than his bat, and he'll also fail to get out of the first round.

Grady Sizemore. Guy is a player. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that he edges out Uggla by one or two to go to the semis.

Dan Uggla went on a tear a few weeks ago. He was out for 11 games because of an ankle strain but made a decent return. He finally hit a home run on Sunday against the Dodgers. He hadn't hit a home run in close to a month. He's got something to prove. But won't quite get the job done to advance to the semis.

Chase Utley is legit. Being a former second baseman, I love guys who can play the two-bag and bring some wood to the plate to match. Utley goes to the final but will lose in a close race against Berkman.

Lance Berkman is a hitting machine. The lefty has one of the smoothest swings in baseball. He's got a point to make. He's competed in this competition before, and wants revenge from losing to Miguel Tejada in 2004 in front of his home crowd at Minute Maid Park.

Semi-Finals: Lance Berkman, Chase Utley, Grady Sizemore, Josh Hamilton.

Finals: Lance Berkman vs. Chase Utley.

Winner: Lance Berkman

This year's derby doesn't have as much draw as others, only the fact that it's taking place at Yankee Stadium which gets demolished at the end of the season. However, the story that Josh Hamilton brings with him will definitely be something to watch.

Shout out: Jason Donald was the starting shortstop for the U.S. team in the Future's Game on Sunday. The U.S. only had three hits against team World, one of them collected by Donald. Donald is an Arizona Wildcat, and you can bet he's looking to take over once MVP Jimmy Rollins hangs 'em up for the Phillies. Nick Hundley, also a Wildcat, made his major league debut on July 4th for the San Diego Padres. Kid is a catcher who can do great things as long as he brings his bat with him to the dish. Watch for both of these players in the future.

The Beauty of the Wild Card

2008-06-25T23:34:00.000-07:00

The wild card race for Major League Baseball is always one that comes down to the wire. Last year, the National League witnessed the tightest battle, with the Rockies and the Padres fighting it out in a one-game winner take all to get to the post season. The amazing story is that the Rockies not only won, but won their way through the divisional series, and the championship series to gain a berth to the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. Unfortunately, if we all remember, the story ended there, with four quick games and a sweep by the Red Sox for their second title in the last four years.

Nearly half way through the 2008 season, the National League again remains another close race, but just between two teams, St. Louis and Milwaukee. The real race that we will see come September will fall in the American League with 4 teams, if they keep the pace they're at. The unbelievable Rays, the untimely A's, the no wonder Yankees, and the up and coming Twins. A betting man would say the Yankees will blow the other three out of the water and win the wild card for the second straight year, but fans here in Oakland say the A's will give it the best shot they've got. The Rays will have to continue to play well and it's a very young team, which results in the classic "choke" come crunch time. The Twins will have the toughest time, mainly because no one is really hitting for them, and the pitching staff is is left with all the pressure.

I believe the ticket to the post season will be punched for the team who makes the best trades come July 31. The Yankees, being the team with the most leverage, but smart GM's can come up big. My question to the readers out there, is who will win the Wild Card?? Here are my picks as of June 26, 2008.

National League: It'll be close, but I'm going to go on a limb and say the Brewers will beat the Cards out in a one game playoff.

American League: As much as it pains me to say it, the Yankees will go on a tear in the second half and clinch the A.L. spot.

America's Tournament

2008-06-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest smells in the world comes around 7 a.m. on any golf course in America. It's the smell of fresh cut grass, giving the course a fresh look for that hungry golfer looking for birdies.

This week the grass that gets cut out at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, will lay at the feet of some of the best golfers in the world for the 108th meeting of the U.S. Open conducted by the USGA. Some of golf's greatest memories have happened at the U.S. Open. The putt in 1999 by Payne Stewart out at Pinehurst No. 2, to last year's winner Angel Cabrera lighting up a cigarette to calm the nerves on number 18 at Oakmont Country Club.

Just as in any other tournament he plays in, all eyes are on Tiger Woods to win his third U.S. Open in the last eight years. The hot story is if he will be the Tiger we all know after recovering from knee surgery in April. This will be his first tournament back since the surgery. Tiger says the knee is a little sore, but I'm sure a guy like him will play through the pain. So far, Tiger is 0 for 1 in majors this year, so we'll have to wait another year to see if Tiger can be the first person to win the Grand Slam of golf in the same year.

Day 1 is filled with great groupings, of course headlined by the group of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Adam Scott. Mickelson is ranked #2 in the world, and is still seeking his first U.S. Open championship. Other notable groups on Thursday are Stewart Cink, Sergio Garcia, and Vijay Singh, followed by Mike Weir, and the last two years' Master's Champions, Trevor Immelman and Zach Johnson.

It's America's tournament and ultimately, any member of the USGA has a chance to play. The field is always littered with a few players who have played their way through qualifying rounds to buy themselves a spot to play in the U.S. Open.

Players to watch: Jim Furyk (runner up in the 2007 U.S. Open), and Segio Garcia (a.k.a El Nino) winner of this year's Player's Championship in search of his first major of his career. Garcia finished second to Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship in 1999.

The Dreaded A.L. West and the downfall of the Seattle Mariners

2008-05-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

Something unnatural seems to be taking place this year in the A.L. West division of Major League Baseball. The Angels have won the division 4 times in the last 5 years, and look to be the team to beat again this year. The A's are the surprise team of the division, keeping up with the Angels and somehow beating teams they shouldn't. Just yesterday they completed a 3-game sweep of the World Champion Boston Red Sox who brought the best record in the major leagues with them.

The Rangers are just as surprising, with a guy like Josh Hamilton on your team, you can win ball games. The pitching staff won't hold for a post-season berth, but they are still winning games nonetheless.

Then we arrive at the Seattle Mariners. A team that most baseball analysts expected to be over .500 at this point in the season. They added tremendously to their pitching staff by picking up Erik Bedard and Carlos Silva, to compliment the young fireballer in the likes of Felix Hernandez. Problem is, these guys aren't doing much for the team. Bedard (3-3, 4.70). Silva (3-4, 5.14). And Hernandez, who has lost 4 of his last 5 starts since the last time I wrote about him when he was then 2-0, is now 2-4. The problems are everywhere. They can't pitch and they can't hit.

Even Ichiro, the guy who is expected to give you at least 200 hits a year and a 300 average is batting only .289. Close but no cigar. The Mariners are hurting.

I think Richie Sexson knew something else when he charged the mound and threw his helmet at Texas' pitcher Kevin Gabbard. He knew the once worst team in the west was now better than they were. Any matter, Sexson is batting .197. Somehow the guy has 9HR. Whoopity do. They guy needs to go back to Milwaukee, they only place he did any good for the game.

So as the season drags on in the A.L. West, there are new faces vying for the top spot. But one team surely isn't. The Seattle Mariners.

Cashed Out Charles - Sports Headlines?

2008-05-20T01:40:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard, Charles Barkley is calling it quits when it comes to gambling. According to reports, Barkley failed to pay the Wynn casino on four $100,000 markers, that he took out on a loan in October of last year.

Barkley is no stranger to gambling as most of us know, but the guy who "hates the whole city of golden state", says he's going to put the dice aside for at least a year or two.

Is it just me, or are more things happening to athletes that aren't sports related these days? I can think of tons of examples. You've got OJ Mayo accepting thousands of dollars in high school and in college to keep him happy while busting 3-pointers. Jason Taylor, the one-time defensive player of the year for the Miami Dolphins, is more concerned with his acting career and a win on 'Dancing with the Stars' than his future in the NFL and the Dolphins organization.Bonds get his 4 counts broken down into 14 separate counts of perjury and obstruction of justice in the BALCO case. I'll reference the book that I'm reading once again, "Game of Shadows" and once you read it you will both hate Barry Bonds and appreciate the research these reporters did. Once the fastest woman in the world, Marion Jones, is in jail for six-months and boyfriend/runner Tim Montgomery will be joining her for fraud.

Don't even get me started on Clemens. The guy is going to jail.

Tons of NFL players not reporting to camps, and holding out on contract deals. The list goes on and on. The idea of having professional athletes as heroes for kids is quickly diminishing. As sports fans we all want raw, solid playing on the field, coupled with a life off the field that is respectable for all those millions they are making.

Give me a guy like Jon Lester. The man recovers from cancer, and pitches a no-hitter a year and a half later. These are the types of stories that guys like me want to write about. There is no end to these tales, and I'm sure the future holds just as much terrible stories about these athletes as we have been seeing recently. Just plain ridiculous.

Cycle for Gomez

2008-05-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

In the box score, it doesn't look that hard to do. Most players get at least four at-bats a game, especially those who are the leadoff hitters. The cycle consists of every hit a player can get in a single baseball game. A single, a double, a triple, and of course the home run. Since the start of major league baseball, it has only happened 277 times. Given the talent that has been capable of accomplishing the feat in the history of major league baseball, this is a small number.

There is such a thing called the 'natural cycle', when the player hits the single, double, triple and home run in order in the same game.

To this day, there has never been a player who has hit for the cycle in a post-season game.

On May 8th, Carlos Gomez became the 277th player to add his name to the list who can say they've hit for the cycle in the major leagues. There's a lot to be said about Gomez. After a short stint with the Mets last season, he was traded to the Twins in the Johan Santana deal. The Twins are reaping the benefits in picking up a solid defensive outfielder with speed, who will hit for average and touch em' all every now and again. Gomez hit the cycle against the divisional rival Chicago White Sox and I wouldn't be surprised to see him in an American jersey come the all-star break. Hats off to Carlos Gomez.

The More You Read, The More You Know

2008-05-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

I've recently taken an internship with a pre-game radio show for the Oakland Athletics. I work with a guy named Marty Lurie, who broadcasts before every game on 1550AM out of Oakland. There is a pre-game show that is done by the same guys who do the play-by-play, and this is the show that is directly before that.

I wanted to convey the crazy amounts of knowledge that these guys know about the game of baseball. Not only are they on the up and up with their team, they know every player, where they've played, big stories about them, and have their own opinions about how their career will pan out in the big leagues. My hat really goes off to these guys because they clearly know more about the sport then I do.

The amount of preparation that goes into each game is just plain dirty. Besides reading the sports page from every team's home city in the major leagues, these guys look at countless stat sheets, read the media guide and pick anything they can up from the stuff that they read. It's completely fair to say that MOST broadcasters know exactly what they are talking about. I'm reading everything I can get my hands on just so I don't look like a fool in the press box. So my posts are becoming less consistent, but you know what I'm doing now. Besides the text books I have to read and stories to shoot, edit and write, I'm reading an insane amount.

Undying Hatred = Bandwagon Hornets Fans

2008-04-30T01:10:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night, the playoff hopes of the Phoenix Suns, and the hopes of NBA playoffs fans spanning 49 states, died. The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Suns in game five of their first round series in the Western Conference playoffs.

I haven't seen this much hatred towards a particular team since the Yankees were actually good. Wait a minute, people still hate the Yankees. No matter, the Spurs flipped the 'most despised team in the NBA' switch after the win tonight. Polls coast to coast of sports fans have suddenly become enormous Chris Paul fans, and who can blame them? It's not hard to like a team lead by the great Byron Scott, who knows exactly what its like to make a push through the playoffs and win an NBA title.

Something that will definitely start to be talked about, is the Tony Parker vs. CP3 matchup. Third to King James and Kobe 'I've decided to change my number' Bryant, Parker is right in the thick of things when it comes to points per game. Whoopity Do. Now that Nowitzki is gone, Paul is in the top five as well. All the more reason for him to step up on defense and shut down Mr. Eva Longoria.

The Spurs and Hornets will hit the hardwood and start their semi-final series to get to the Western Conference Championship. I think it's pretty clear who the nation is rooting for. But my question to you is who will win it, and in how many games?

On another note: There are two possible game seven's lurking. Detroit leads Philadelphia three games to two, but game six is in Philly, and my boy Iggy is heating up for the Sixers. I like this series going to a game seven. The other is the refusing to say die Houston Rockets vs. the Utah Jazz. Utah leads the series, and game six heads back to Utah. I like Utah closing out the series back in SLC.

One more note: a city softball team in Alameda, CA called "Boom Goes The Dynamite" is playing Thursday night, hoping to get a win streak going, after coming back last week in the top of the seventh inning to beat Otaez 9-7. Wish them luck.

Here comes the...Nope.

2008-04-26T01:38:00.000-07:00

So far, for the most part, the NBA playoffs have been better than expected. There's been some games that show some heart: the 76'ers up two games to one on the Pistons and the Raptors refusing to get thrown around by the Magic. And there's been the series of no surprise: the Celtics up two games to none on the Hawks, and the Lakers up two games to none on the Nuggets. Then to the series that just sits deep in your stomach like bad chinese food that you can't take back eating:

The matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns.

I don't even know where to begin. Maybe it's Tim Duncan's lack of personality and whiny attitude when it comes to being fouled. Maybe it's the fact that they "hack Shaq" so that they send the worst free-throw shooter in history to the line every .2 seconds. Or maybe it's the fact that Manu Ginobli's field goal percentage is higher than that perfect score I got on my test last week. Spurs fans obviously are happy, but for those of us who don't live in Texas (thank the man upstairs) we can't stand it.

Question is, can the Suns come back from being down three games to none? NBA Playoff history will tell you that accomplishing the feat is highly unlikely. What do you think?

Cason Point

2008-04-23T23:46:00.000-07:00

With the NFL Draft coming up on Saturday, it makes me think about which teams the players you have seen play at the college level will go to, and if they will be successful at the NFL level. Now that the number one pick has been chosen, (Jake Long, OL/T Michigan) it will be interesting to see who will step up in the draft and who will fall.

I am most interested in where this guy is going to go. Antoine Cason, (#5 in the red jersey) had a stellar career at the University of Arizona. He finished with 15 career interceptions, and averaged just over 23 yards per interception return, which set a new school record. Cason didn't leave the NFL combine with scouts very happy though, finishing with a 40-yard dash time of 4.52. The top time for defensive backs was 4.31. Speed is important as a defensive back, and some scouts don't think Cason can compete with the speed of players at the next level. Nevertheless, #5 did walk away with a prestigious award this year:

The Jim Thrope Award. It goes to the best defensive back in the nation. Cason played a big role in the Arizona vs. #2 Oregon game where the Wildcats upset the Ducks 34-24. Cason finished the game with 2 TD's, one an interception 42-yard return, and the other a 56-yard punt return. The game was on a national stage, and I don't think there was any doubt that Cason was the player of the game. Best of luck Antoine in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Hoping For a Miracle On Ice

2008-04-20T22:48:00.000-07:00

Part of being a journalist is to write to your audience. Although most of you that read this blog are nowhere near the bay area, indulge me on this one. The San Jose Sharks are heading to a deciding game 7 against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night in the Western Conference playoffs in the NHL.

San Jose had a stellar season to obtain the (2) seed in the playoff bracket, and is matched up the (7) seed Flames. Game 7 heads back to San Jose (about 15 minutes south of me). If fans like the ones below show up to the game, I'm calling the Sharks to win. The west coast doesn't have a strong following when it comes to the NHL. But that doesn't mean the game isn't popular. I still remember when the Kings were the team to beat. Mostly because of Gretzky and the hype of "the great one" but lately the attention is drawn to Pittsburgh's young gun center Sidney Crosby.

Fans here love the Sharks. They weren't too shabby when the Kings were the team on top of the Western Conference. It may be just me, but NHL playoff games seem to always go to a game 7. At least game 6. Bay area sports are just so-so, with the Warriors failing to make the playoffs, the Giants without Bonds, and the A's completely up and down. Who knows what will happen when the NFL draft shows us which players will join the 49ers and Raiders squads.

The Sharks are what's hot right now. People know the Cup (as in Stanley) is up for grabs now that defending champion Anaheim Ducks are knocked out of contention. Could the Cup end up in the city of San Jose? To tell you the truth, I don't have enough knowledge to back up any sort of argument that it is a possibility. But to see guys like this, that's just awesome.

No Game Clock in MLB

2008-04-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

This post may lose it's validity after I post it, but currently, the Padres and the Rockies are deadlocked in a 1-1 tie heading into the bottom of the 21st inning.

The first runs of the game weren't scored until the 14th.

This made me get to thinking about the longest documented games that have been played in major league baseball. Here's what I found.

1. On April 18, 1981, a 33 inning game played between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox who play in the triple-A International league. The game took 8 hours and 25 minutes to play over 2 days. The game was halted at 4:09 a.m. by the league's president.

2. On May 1, 1920, the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves played a 26 inning game that was eventually called due to darkness.

3. On May 9, 1984, the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers played a 25 inning game that took 8 hours and six minutes that finally ended with a White Sox win 7-6.

Then it got me to thinking, what has to happen for the game to be suspended? Here's your answer.

According to the rules of major league baseball, the game can be suspended for a number of reasons:
1. A curfew imposed by law
2. A time limit permissible under league rules
3. Light failure or malfunction
4. Darkness, when a law prevents the lights from being turned on
5. Weather, if the bottom half of the inning can't be played
6. It is a regulation game, called with the score tied

These answers come straight from the rule book of major league baseball.

During my post, the game between the Rockies and Padres was completed in the 22nd inning, with a double to deep left center on his eighth at bat of the game by Troy Tulowitzki, scoring Willy Taveras. The Padres didn't respond in the bottom of the inning, and the Rockies won 2-1. The game took 6 hours and 16 minutes to play.

Now, put yourself in the seat of a loyal Padres fan. You come out to the game merely hoping for a Padres win, decked out in all the gear you can find in your closet. You witness nine long scoreless innings, and don't see any real action until the opposing team puts up one in the top of the 14th. Luckily, a score gets knocked in in the bottom of the inning to tie the game once again, and the winning run is on 3rd base. But he never reaches home. You wait another 8 innings to see the Rockies score once again, and witness the Padres put up a 0 in the bottom of the 22nd. That is one long drive home.

The last game that went more than 20 innings was played in 1993. What teams were involved?

Fiery Felix

2008-04-17T00:49:00.000-07:00

I'm really pullin' for the M's this year. Signing Bedard will hopefully complete the rotation. But this post is dedicated to Felix. He's off to a great start.

He picked up his second win of the season tonight against Oakland. Currently, Oakland is off to the best start in the A.L. West, so every win against a team in the division is crucial.

Here's his stats: (2-0) 30.2 IP, 1.47 ERA, 24Ks

Felix is only 22 years old and this has been his best start since the M's brought him up 3 years ago. He struggled with injuries the last couple years, and this year he looks as fresh as ever. The great thing is that he can be a nine inning guy. He showed that tonight against the A's throwing a CG and only 115 pitches. That's what manager John McLaren likes to see.

Of course behind every good pitcher there has to be stellar defense, as well as a powerful offense. Luckily, both are picking up, and they can put something together to get the win. The wonderful word momentum comes back again. The M's are on a 2 game win streak with momentum going their way. It should be an interesting week. The M's face Oakland again tomorrow, then head south to face the other divisional leader, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Now That's Fast

2008-04-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

1000 words

Speedtest

Playoffs Here We Come

2008-04-16T01:02:00.000-07:00

I said it earlier, but the NBA has done a great job this year at getting viewers and making the sport more exciting to the average sports enthusiast.

With a win last night, the Lakers clinched the #1 seed in the West. A remarkable job, seeing as the conference was absolutely ridiculous. That puts them up against Denver (not the Warriors), and unless something goes terribly wrong, the Lakers should be on their way to the Western Conference Finals.

The Eastern Conference is led by Boston. It was thought in the pre-season that they would have broken the win record set by the '95-'96 bulls at 72-10. They currently 7 wins short with one game to play. If they are healthy and can get the performance that they are capable of from their star players (Garnett, Allen, Pierce) they should be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference playoffs bracket. Detroit can certainly put up a fight however.

The playoffs start on Sunday with the 76ers at Detroit, and the Raptors at the Magic in their game 1's. It's the start of a long playoff run for one 2008 NBA Team. I don't want to make a prediction until later in the week, but how sweet would it be to see the Lakers vs. Celtics in the NBA Finals? Brings back sweet, sweet memories of Larry and Magic.

Question of the week is: Can Howard Schultz keep the Sonics in Seattle?

Immel's the Man

2008-04-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

A busy week has come and gone. 2 NCAA Basketball Champions decided, and a new Master's champion. His name: Trevor Immelman.

My hat goes off to him because he was the one that got around the golf course in the least amount of shots. Did Tiger have a chance? Most certainly. Golf scores are mostly determined on the green. Tiger didn't hit his putts. That's all there is to it. He had three chances within 10 feet in the last 6 holes for birdie. He missed them all.

I really am happy to see Immelman win it. It sounds like he has overcome some serious illnesses the last couple of years. There is only one thing I have against the win. Two weeks prior, Immelman, Ian Poulter, and Justin Rose played two practice rounds at Augusta National. This is legal because it is not the week of the tournament. I just have an ethical issue with this. Golfer's come out and are given two days to play the course the week of the tournament. These three played it two more times than everyone else in the field. Advantage? You'd have to be absolutely obtuse not to think so. Opening round scores verify this point. Look at the top three players after day one. You'll find your answer.

As a golfer, I am torn about how I feel about them playing 2 weeks before. I guess you could say that it is as close to cheating as you can get in golf. They have a look at the course in almost optimal condition, and they can hit numerous shots from numerous places.

I'm open to suggestion about what you all think. I tip my cap as he slides on the green jacket. But in the back of my head, I'm thinking about those 2 practice rounds that he played. If you want to win a tournament, do you go and play the course as many times as you can until you get it right? What he did is fully within the rules. So I'm leaving it alone. A tradition like no other.

How The Tables Can Turn

2008-04-12T00:53:00.000-07:00

Imagine. After day one of the Master's tournament, you are tied for the lead. You make it through 14 holes of the 2nd round and you are two under par (that's pretty good). You head into the 15th, a 530 yard par 5, and hit one right down the gut. You decide to play it safe and lay up, giving you a nice sand wedge over the water and onto the green. Practice swing feels good, you have a decent lie, then the bad mojo starts to unravel. You catch one fat, and dunk it into the water. Two more feet and you were safe.

Well, shake it off. Take your drop and chip it close to get up and down for bogey. Or not. You hit it about 20 yards over the green, almost into the water that walks along 16. Now you're lying five, and you chip it up barely onto the green leaving you with a 30 foot down hill left to right putt that is so dangerous, that if you hit it just a touch harder than you need to, you could hit it right back into the water that you got into in the first place. Breathe easy and just 'tap it in'. The crowd gives the anxious sigh because you hit it a tad too hard and just barely stay on the green. Well to cap off the par 5 you hit your 7th shot to within 5 feet and make your putt for an 8. Folks in the business like to call it a snowman. You've just relinquished your under par round and you are now sitting at +1.

Heading into 16 you hope to get one back with a birdie. But the mojo has already set in and you walk away from the par 3 with a bogey four. You start the day two under, and finish the day two over. You've just dropped nearly 20 spots in a matter of 2 holes. Man, wouldn't that just be the worst? I mean how do you come out day 3 and make a move to put you in contention for Sunday?

Just ask Justin Rose.

This happened to him today in the second round of the Master's. I TiVo'd it, and watched it later in the day and I just felt sick watching this happen. This is a great argument how Golf is most assuredly a sport. This little thing people like to call 'momentum' shows up on the golf course, just as much as it does in a college basketball game, MLB game, or another professional sport for that matter. Justin Rose lost momentum today and instead the golf course took over. It's probably one of the weirdest funk's to be in. Nothing goes right, shots get worse and worse, and you can't put the ball in the hole. Ask any professional or amateur and they'll tell you this definitely happens.

Well we head into day 3 of the Master's tomorrow and Tiger is 7 strokes back. But I just gave an example of how one player lost 4 shots in 2 holes. It is very possible that Tiger can make up the shots. The leader, Trevor Immelman, fired two 68's back to back. Pretty good for a guy who came out 2 weeks prior to the tournament and played a few practice rounds. I mean, jeez, the guy should feel like a member playing the course that much in a span of 2 weeks.

Enjoy the weekend fellow golfers because it is a weekend that we all love. Can Tiger pull off a victory? We shall see. I'm just sad to see Fred Couples' streak of 23 cuts made at the Master's end. He's made the cut every single year he's played since 1983. Wow.

Suggestions

2008-04-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

1. Watch the Master's this week. Preferably in high definition.

2. Pull for the Mariner's to get on a win streak.

3. Watch the Master's this week. Preferably in high definition.

Put Out The Torch!

2008-04-09T00:11:00.000-07:00

If you have been following the news this week, you know that the 2008 Olympic Games Torch is making it's stop on it's way to Beijing in San Francisco tomorrow. The problem is, it's already been extinguished once a couple of days ago en route from Paris. The protesters are increasing and it may stop the long trip that the Torch has yet to make altogether. Many people have asked President Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies because of China's power and influence over many of the other countries in the east. After making the only U.S. stop in San Francisco, the Olympic Committee is going to evaluate if the torch should be extinguished to prevent future riots. Will it make the whole scheduled trip?

Quick Sports:
-Tiger refuses the invitation to play in the Master's Par 3 Tournament: Good idea?
-The Detroit Tigers dropped the 7th straight. Where are the bats? Especially Ordonez?
-The Golden State Warriors and The Denver Nuggets are tied for the 8th spot in the Western Conference playoff race. They play each other on Thursday. Can the Warriors prevail and win out their season to make the playoffs?
-The Lady Cardinal loses big time in the NCAA Championship game to the Vols out of Tennessee...aint that a shame

That's Why They're Free

2008-04-07T23:37:00.000-07:00

Free throws are the easiest way to score a point in the game of basketball. There's no one in your face, you are stationary, and you practice them countless times in practice. Add the intensity of a championship game, screaming fans, sweaty palms, and about 4 million thoughts running through your head at the same time, it's real easy to miss.

Memphis showed that tonight in the NCAA Championship. They had the opportunity to win the game. Throw all the other shots made aside and take a trip to the line where Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose missed 4 of Memphis' 5 final trips to the line. That's five free points. Of course if you missed the game, it was 63-60 with 9 seconds left and Mario Chalmers pulled off a miraculous shot to tie the game at 63 and send the game into overtime.

It's said that an object in motion stays in motion. Kansas was in motion and rode out the momentum to win the 2008 NCAA Championship. And another poor pick on my part, but it's clear that if the FREE throws were made, the game could have been won by Memphis. Coach Calipari had this to say:

"And I sat there and I looked up and I said, 'Lord, if he makes this, these two, we're supposed to be national champs.' And if that's your will, I'm fine. And if he misses them and we're not, I'm fine with that, too.'

Looks like Jesus is a Jayhawks fan.

I'm just hoping that the Arizona Baseball team can get momentum. The Cats lost 2 of 3 against the Washington Huskies last weekend. Preseason #1, and now not even in the top 25 with a horrible 15-11 record. The Cats are at San Diego State on Tuesday and Wednesday before taking on Indiana State in Tucson this weekend. They need to walk away this week 5-0. Errors and poor appearances at the plate are what's costing wins.

Question: Detroit has started the season 0-6. Will they still win the ALCS and become World Champs?
Speculation: The Tucson Citizen is reporting that Rivlas.com has said that Chase Budinger will declare for the draft as well. I'm waiting to hear the official statement to make sure this isn't hear-say. If it is true, that's not good for the Wildcat basketball team.

Bye Bye Bayless/Bracket Busted

2008-04-05T23:52:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen. The University of Arizona announced today that it's best player this year has declared for the NBA Draft. The thing is that he will go, and in the top 10 as a lottery pick. Here's my thoughts.

The NBA teaches college basketball players how to sell out on their college teams. Besides the rare Carmello Anthony case, if the team they decided to play college for doesn't win a national championship the first season they play, they just go to the NBA. Bayless, Durant, Oden, most likely Love, and the list goes on. I find this absolutely ridiculous. The only bad thing about the NBA is they over pay their players and turn them into money hungry players who now taint the beauty (don't laugh) of the game. Basketball is no longer a sport. I just declared it. We (and by we I mean owners), just throw money at these guys. So, in Bayless' case, he says, do I try and play college again? Or sign a contract that guarantees me a $1 million signing bonus? Hmm?? Stupidest thing out there. The NBA should only be allowed to give players $40-50 thousand a years to guys right out of college. That's plenty. I could go for days on how overpaid basketball players are. So I'll just stop there.

A guy who won't be entering the draft and also won't be playing in the national championship game is Tyler Hansborough. Tough luck, but my hat still goes off to the kid. Kansas stomped on UNC and Memphis man-handled the Bruins out of UCLA. There was talk that this is the worst tournament in terms of games, because SO many games have been decided by more than 20 points or thereabouts. Not many buzzer beaters, not much excitement. Just angry fans who are yelling at the TV for their team to clear a 19-point deficit in 1:20. My bracket got busted by the cops and taken to jail for life. North Carolina and UCLA will play in an imaginary game on Monday night before the championship game starts. UCLA wins so that my bracket stays intact. Not many people thought this was the way it would end, but it should still be a great game nonetheless. My prediction: Memphis beats Kansas 81-75. What's yours?

I'm On Steroids

2008-04-04T23:44:00.000-07:00

I've decided to plug a book that I am currently reading. It's called Game of Shadows and the tag line is "Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steriods Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports." Here's my suggestion to those who may decide to read this book: It helps to have a general sense of the steroids issue that has encompassed both Major League Baseball (especially recently) and the Olympic games. Sports minded people may have a better appreciation for the book, because steroids truly has transformed the sport of professional baseball the last 20 years. This book clues you in on what exactly happened, and maybe even why it happened in baseball. It used to be just an Olympian thing to do, but found its way to the baseball diamond. The reason why I enjoy it and why you may as well, is that the guys who wrote it are not sportswriters. They are ultimately outsiders to the professional baseball. These are just two great investigative journalists that write for the San Francisco Chronicle who found a great story. The reason they had an edge is because of the location of BALCO ( Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative), literally 5-10 minutes from my house. So today's post, read a book and make yourself smarter. It's a beautiful thing.

Wild Wild West (not starring Will Smith)

2008-04-03T23:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm fully aware at what's on the line this weekend. The Final Four head to San Antonio and battle it out to see who gets to play for the National Championship. I've posted before but I'll say it again, North Carolina Beats Kansas, UCLA beats Memphis (I had Texas but they didn't show up in their home state) and lo and behold, we've got a Hansborough vs. Love matchup that will be one for the books. I'm serious.

But that can wait. The NBA has been under a lot of scrutiny the last couple of years with fights, suspensions, double-technicals and referees betting on games. It has been said that because of the showing at this years All-Star game of "The Superman" it catapulted the NBA into a new era and limelight. But who said they needed it? If you follow the NBA you already know that the race to make the playoffs in the West is the closest it has been in the last 10 years. One or two great teams will not make the playoffs this year. I heard one of them is Seattle (funny but not really). The East is already locked up as usual (how about the Hawks getting in the 8 spot?), but 6 1/2 games is currently the differential for the West. There's 2 weeks left in the season. This will be the make or break 2 weeks for most teams.

How about Byron Scott leading the New Orleans Hornets to the top of the West? Of course it's led on the court by Chris Paul out of Wake Forest, and they are turning a lot of heads. Don't start reminiscing about the Grandma-ma Larry Johnson years just yet though. San Antonio is currently only 1/2 a game back, and the "The Lake Show" is only 1.5. It's who will get that 8 spot that's the question. Will the Bay Area get another thrill and see their Warriors head into the post-season? Or will Denver and Dallas keep winning so that they will have no chance? I put it to you. I'd like to see the beard of Baron Davis make another trip to the playoffs.

In case anyone even knew, Seattle has won 17 games this year and look like a team that should be in Oklahoma City. Breaking news is that the state House committee passed a tax incentive package that could get the Sonics to OK City sooner. This of course makes owner Clay Bennett very happy. Here's my advice for the sonics: Before Kevin Durant came along you had VERY good picks in the NBA Draft. What did you do? You went overseas and drafted some of the worst foreign players that couldn't hang in the NBA. It's not the location. It's the front office. Seattle wants to support a good team, you just won't give them one. And come on, they've got the best mascot in the game. Who doesn't think that the "wookie" look alike Squatch is awesome? Goodnight.

A Tradition Like No Other

2008-04-03T00:37:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, the hiatus is over. It's amazing how not having an internet connection can slow you down in today's technological world. Nevertheless, it's time to get back into full swing, and truly no better way to do it then to talk about the greatest golf tournament known to man: The Masters. We're one week away.

The mystique that is Augusta National is as storied as the Constitution. Every first full week in April, Augusta, Georgia, is filled with out-of-towners. Sometimes WAY out of town. Tickets go for thousands of dollars. To say you have walked the grounds of Augusta National is every golfer's dream, both amateur and professional. The invitation to the tournament is extremely strict. This is NOT your average golf tournament. Here's what it takes to get an invite to play at Augusta:

1. Masters Tournament Champions (Lifetime)
2. US Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
3. British Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
4. PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
5. Winners of The Players Championship (Three years)
6. Current US Amateur Champion (6-A) (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year) and the runner-up (6-B) to the current US Amateur Champion
7. Current British Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year)
8. Current US Amateur Public Links Champion
9. Current US Mid-Amateur Champion
10. The first 16 players, including ties, in the 2007 Masters Tournament
11. The first 8 players, including ties, in the 2007 US Open Championship
12. The first 4 players, including ties, in the 2007 British Open Championship
13. The first 4 players, including ties, in the 2007 PGA Championship
14. The 30 leaders on the Final Official PGA Tour Money List for 2007
15. Winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship, from previous Masters to current Masters
16. Those qualifying for the season-ending 2007 Tour Championship
17. The 50 leaders on the Final Official World Golf Ranking for 2007
18. The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the 2008 Masters

No sponsor exemptions, no exceptions. Numbers 6,7, 8 and 9 wet their pants every year because they get the invite. You are selected to play in this tournament because you have shown that you are good enough to play the game of golf. Interesting concept.

It all started in 1934 when Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts wanted to sponsor a tournament. It was originally called Augusta National Invitation Tournament, but was changed in 1939 to The Masters. Much better. Every year on Wednesday a Par-3 tournament is held. There's a 9-hole course inside the grounds that spans 1,060 yards. The course record is 20. The tourney begins Thursday and always ends Sunday with two happy arms waiting to slip into the exquisite green jacket. The tournament begins next week and guess who's playing? That's right, the 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2005 champion: Tiger Woods.

So who will Zach Johnson put the jacket on this year? I think everyone wants to see Tiger because the win would be 1 down in his quest for 4 in one year. That would truly be a feat.

Who will win the 2008 Master's? I put it to you. If you're a betting man, it never hurts to bet on a guy by the name of Fred Couples. You never know.

Tiger Really Is Amazing

2008-03-21T00:33:00.000-07:00

It needs to be said so to get it out of the way, Arizona lost tonight to West Virginia in the opening round. My only commentary that I would like to give is that the Mountaineers made nearly every 3-pointer they attempted. In college basketball that is pretty impossible to stop defensively. So no elite 8, no national championship. The only thing to worry about now is if Bayless is going to go to the NBA, and how we'll be next year. One of the top point guards in the nation, Brandon Jennings, signed with the school so we should be good. Especially giving Jordan Hill the off-season to be even more dominant in the paint. So it's a shame but it needed to be said.

My dad sent me an email about a Tiger Woods commercial where he surprises groups on a course and if they can beat him in a closest to the pin challenge, they win a new Buick Rainier. That made me think of a commercial that Nike did a while back that was just awesome. I hope you enjoy it. This could be the year where Tiger wins every major tournament. The Master's is next on the agenda.

Best Commercial On Television

2008-03-20T13:08:00.001-07:00

Staples' "Easy Button" campaign has had some ups and downs. I don't know the last time that you have been to a store, but they actually sell the easy buttons. Pretty hilarious. But they have made great strides lately with the commercial I believe to be one of the funniest out there right now. You can view it below. Why is it so good? This guy is hilarious, and the co-workers who just act like they don't even care just seal the deal. My favorite part is when he starts flailing his arms, and gives a high pitched scream. I hope you enjoy it. How is everyone's brackets holding up?? Picking Temple to beat Michigan State was a mistake. Where were you on that one Digger Phelps?

Exercising / Arizona to the Elite 8?

2008-03-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks for welcoming me back from a two day hiatus in which I was too busy obtaining a 4.0 GPA. Now that's over with, it's back to the wonderful world of putting letters on a page and forming words and sentences out of them. Glorious!

To begin this post I'd like to take a paragraph or so dedicated to the wonderful world of exercising. According to the U.S. Census at this very minute on this very day, there are 303,669,778 people that live in the land of the free. I've often asked myself, how many people really do exercise? Sure, there's factors that prohibit people from exercising as well as I'm sure there are factors that inhibit exercising. I started to actually "exercise" about 6 months ago in the Evergreen State. Have I experienced a drastic change in appearance? No idea. But I do feel better and want to eat better. Key word being want. I also realize that some people get their exercise in different ways. There have been countless articles about what exercise can do for you besides give your body a little lovin'. I got this from a kid's health site that gave a few reasons why exercise is "good for you".

- Exercise benefits every part of the body including the mind (endorphins produced to make a person feel more peaceful and happy)
- Exercise helps people to lose weight and lower the risk of some diseases
- Exercise can help a person age well

Well, it is good for you, and at least your body will tell you "hey, thanks a lot buddy."

A lot of controversy has surrounded those selected into this years NCAA Tournament. I can't complain because Arizona got an at-large bid, but who knows how much it was really deserved. Does the nation seem to forget that Arizona took Kansas into overtime in the beginning of the season? Kansas was selected as a number one seed people. Well, the big story is that not one but two analysts on ESPN.com are saying that the WIldcats are going to be the stunner this year and get to the Elite 8. This includes hired "bracketologist" Joe Lunardi who studies college basketball all day long. I went out on a limb and said, sure, if Arizona is on their game they can beat almost anyone in the country. I followed suit and dare I say it, Arizona will make it to the Elite 8. The big win will come in the second round over Duke which I and about every other Arizona Wildcat would love to see. We'll see what happens but when it all comes down to it, UCLA is the best team in the nation, as long as they can get over the couple of injuries they sustained in the Pac-10 Tournament. They have all the tools necessary to win a national championship. Who knows though, this years bracket is so messed up, I wouldn't be surprised if Oral Roberts was crowned as the national champion on April 7.

**The Rockets 23 game winning streak came to an end when they faced the dominant Boston Celtics. Who saw that one coming? Allen Iverson putting his hand up to his ear upon his return to Philly? Come on. Tiger's run at the Master's...any takers? Who will win the NCAA tournament?

Media Aesthetics - Did You Notice?

2008-03-18T00:25:00.000-07:00

I figure I'll kill two birds with one stone here and discuss the ability for all of us to create projects that are aesthetically sound, while doing a blog post! I'm under the gun here so this one will be short, and most likely the next post as well; I'm in the midst of a double-whammy of mid-term exams and projects to be written, shot, edited, and formatted. These things take time people.

Anywho, for those out there who are into being creative when it comes to snapping photos or shooting films, I'm studying how to adjust the screen in which we view these objects so that those within the screen develop stronger emotions, power, size etc. Here's a few examples of pictures that emphasize certain aspects of what all goes into media aesthetics.

1. Narrow-angle lens creating a short depth of field. Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.
2. The classic figure/ground principle. Do you see angels or devils?
3. Overlapping planes. A way to give a 3D feel to a 2D screen.

I missed posting yesterday so I'll bore you with why I couldn't post.

Sports!: Tiger Woods wins by sinking a 25 foot putt on the last whole and to take his streak of wins to 10. The guy is ridiculous. Also, the Rockets are sitting at 22 wins. Can they keep it going?

Political Jargon

2008-03-16T00:49:00.001-07:00

Ok, ok. Let's put it all out there and get it out of the way now before I make another post in November. I'm a journalist, but as you can tell by my blog, I have absolutely no interest when it comes to covering politics. I keep myself up to speed as any normal citizen should. But it is my belief that the way politics are run, it's a web of he said she said baloney. So here's were I write a quick blurb about politics.

As we are heading into a our last 3 months of the primary elections, the Democratic candidate race has been nothing short of neck and neck. Barack Obama vs. Hillary Clinton. Man vs. Woman. Black vs. White. And any other racial, sex, or discriminatory manner you can put them up against each other. Obama, out of the last state to get added to the union, and Clinton, the mid-westerner from Illinois certainly have a clash on certain ideas. I think the next three months will be very interesting to see who will get the nomination from the Democratic party come convention time. The Democratic National Convention this year will be in Denver, August 25-28. On top of who does indeed win the vote, I think the most interesting thing to find out is who these candidates will choose as their running mates.

This sly fellow? Most likely their competition, seeing as how Romney, Huckabee, my mother, my father, myself, and everyone else has dropped out of the running for the Republican nomination. While I attended Arizona, there was constant talk of Senator John McCain making a push for President. It's crazy that the time is actually here. Arizona loves John McCain. And obviously so do all the republicans in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The only opinion I will give on the matter of John McCain is that whoever he does face, he has a tough challenge ahead of him. The Democrats are in control of the House, Bush has somehow been in the oval office for nearly 8 years, and voting in another Republican may be a difficult thing to do come November. It will also be interesting to see who he picks to run with him. Give Bob Dole a holler.

On a side note, and a note I'd rather write about, the Houston Rockets are heading into that amazing 5-game stand starting tomorrow against the Los Angeles Lakers. Will the Rockets keep the streak going at 22? If they do, will they honestly last the entire week? If not, my question to you is who will be the team to squash the chance at making history?

Love Music?

2008-03-15T01:16:00.000-07:00

Another thing that I will rarely do, is post movie reviews. It will have to be something truly inspiring for me to want to mention them in my blog. That being said, I wanted to recommend a feature film for all those music lovers out there. It's called August Rush. Sure, you've probably heard about it or saw the previews for it months ago. But it's a great feel good movie.

I think it means something more to people who come from a musical family, or grew up playing an instrument and still do. The story line could use a little work, but I'm a critic and always look for different ways a story can be told. I think that it helps you to realize what true music is, and how it is felt. I would say that it has a modern day Mr. Holland's Opus feel. If you don't know what that movie is, add that to the list as well. If you do decide to take the plunge and rent it, I hope that you enjoy it.

Will the Wildcats Dance in '08?

2008-03-13T23:42:00.000-07:00

In the quarterfinals tonight of the Pac-10 Tournament, the Wildcats lost to Stanford 75-64. An 11 point deficit for all those english majors out there. A source told me tonight that if the Wildcats lost by more than 17, the Wildcats would not get the at-large bid that they need to get in this year's NCAA Tournament. So by his standards, the Wildcats have a shot. I'm really torn as to if they actually deserve a spot this year. Do I want them in the tournament? Can I say yes? But there are certain factors that may contribute to the Cats not making the tournament this year.

#1: 2 Key losses to Arizona State.. As much as it pains me to type the previous sentence it needs to be said right off the bat. First losing to the Sun Devils on the road 64-59. At the time, the Cats were ranked #24. James Harden, the Freshman phenom for the Devils this year put up 26. The second loss came at McKale Center, where the Cats pretty much only needed Jarryd Bayless to play. Bayless put up an unbelievable 39 points, but the Cats had no other help and lost the game 59-54. Can someone say where was Chase Budinger? These 2 loses, as much as I cringe to think about them, where just 2 shots in the foot.

#2. Jarryd Bayless' knee injury.. The Wildcats went 1-3 when Bayless was injured. Thats an average of 20 ppg that you just don't get. Other players tried to step up, mainly Budinger who already should have, but to no avail. Those three loses (one against ASU) put the Cats on a bad track and they desperately needed Bayless back.

#3. Wise steps up, then sits down. There's so much you can say about Nic Wise this year. He increased his playing time significantly after keeping the team together when Bayless went down. He stepped up defensively and increased his ppg by 8. But then a knee injury sidelined him for more than 2 weeks. He was a spark plug to the team, then it was extinguished when he went under the knife.

#4. Going 8-10 in conference games. Jay Bilas even said that the Pac-10 was the toughest conference to be in this year. This fact made it even more important for the Wildcats to show a strong presence and win games. They didn't. Not only did they lose to ASU twice, but they lost to Oregon twice as well. Porter and his tre-ball always kill the Cats when they play the Ducks. However, the Cats did beat Washington State twice. And they have been ranked all year long. Those two wins could keep them in the hunt.

There's so many factors that go into what grants a team a spot in the NCAA tournament. As a team, you hope that the committee focuses more on your important wins, as opposed to you're big losses. It's a tough situation that the Wildcats are in. They have one of the hardest schedules in the country this year, if not the hardest. That may work in their favor but we won't know what will happen until Sunday. My projection: Arizona makes it and earns a 8 or 9 seed in the field of 65.

Question: If the Wildcats do in fact make the tournament, how deep will they go? Sweet-Sixteen? Elite-Eight? Final-Four? National Champion?!?

Trivia answer: The team with a current 10-game winning streak? The Boston Celtics.

No Yao? No Problem.

2008-03-13T00:39:00.000-07:00

You know, it's just too good to not write about. The Houston Rockets are the NBA right now. They are on a 20-game winning streak that puts them into the top 3 streaks of all-time. They tied the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks streak and with another win will put them in sole possession of 2nd place. The top streak? 33 games by the 1971-72 Lakers.

It's an amazing feat to accomplish 20 wins in a row. But the hard part is what's coming ahead for the Rockets. After tomorrow's game against the Charlotte Bobcats, the next 5 are against teams that are just plain good. They've got the Lakers on Sunday. Followed by the Celtics, Hornets, Warriors and Suns next week. Are you kidding me? If the Rockets push through next week and still have this miraculous thing going, then I'd put money that they can knock on the door of 33 wins in a row. Any takers?

Trivia answers: Joe Girardi caught David Cone's perfect game as a New York Yankee on July 18, 1999.

This post's question: What team this season is currently on a 10-game winning streak?

Spring Training - Little League Rules?

2008-03-12T01:09:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce Joe Girardi. Girardi is, as you can see, the new head coach for the New York Yankees this season. Girardi was also a player, a catcher, that played for 14 years in the major leagues I might add. An incident occurred in Spring Training last Sunday. There was a play at the plate in the Yankees game against Tampa Bay. Elliot Johnson, an infielder for the Devil Rays was hustling to try and beat out a throw, and in the process lowered his shoulder and took out catcher Francisco Cervelli for the New York Yankees breaking the catcher's wrist. Johsnon is a member of the 40-man roster. What this means is that he's technically on the team, but not necessarily on the major league roster. He's trying to make the ball club. The day this all went down was his 24th birthday.

Joe Girardi didn't like the actions that Johnson took. Spring Training is looked at as practice games to some because the games don't have any impact on the standings in the regular season. Girardi thought that this was over the line, and that it was uncalled for, implying that these games are "practice" and shouldn't be played at 100 percent Pete Rose had this to offer:

"There's one way to play the game of baseball and that is to win. If you try to win and you are within the rules, that's the only way to play ... I don't know why Joe Girardi would get mad; he's a catcher and that's what happens."

I completely agree. Girardi has no right to argue the fact that Elliot Johnson was giving 200%, and is trying to earn himself a spot on the permanent roster. Tisk, tisk Joe.

On a side note, how about Tommy Lasorda arguing a foul ball call today? #2 can still get down to business.

Related question today is: Joe Girardi caught a perfect game in his career. The pitcher, David Cone. The team? Well that's the question.

The Controversial Shot

2008-03-11T00:09:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, a controversy took place at Pauley Pavilion. To those non-college basketball fans, that's UCLA's home basketball court. They were playing in their final regular season game versus the Golden Bears of California. With just a few seconds remaining on the clock, Josh Shipp put up a desperation shot on the baseline that went over the corner of the backboard and dropped in from the sky to put the Bruins up and eventually give them the win. Here's the video, watch carefully:

Maybe this should clear things up for all those out there that are in awe that the game was won with this circus shot from Josh Shipp:

NCAA Rules, Rule 7
Out of Bounds and the Throw-in
Section 1, Article 3
The ball shall be out of bounds when it passes over the backboard from any direction.

So, ladies and gentlemen, UCLA won the game on an illegal shot. The dispute lies with the officials. The official claims that it "was to close to call" and that he didn't call it because of that specific reason. Or was it because the Pac-10 has had a bad history when it comes to close games and making the correct calls? It is the responsibility of the official to blow his whistle in this situation. If people want to argue that the shot was good, I'll just refer you to the above rule. Was it an amazing shot? Yes, it was, for a game of H-O-R-S-E on a sunny afternoon with your buddies. But in an NCAA setting where the #2 team ranked in the country has the chance to lose it's last game of the season, you have got to blow the whistle. Poor call on the officials. Very poor call. But the question with this post is, because it was too close to call, did the officials make the correct decision by not blowing the whistle and calling the ball out of bounds? I'd love to hear your arguments.

A Day At Sancet Stadium

2008-03-09T23:06:00.001-07:00

As I look out at the scoreboard next to the "intimidator" in right field, I see that the Wildcats are up by a few runs heading into the top of the 6th inning. I wipe the sweat off my forehead and feel the 90 degree weather continue to cook me like a hamburger, and I can't help but think about another National Champion circle painted on the left field wall.

The announcer digs as deep as his voice will go to announce another player for the opposing team. Like clockwork, the Hot Corner chimes in and starts with the mind games of whatever sort of verbal constructs they can come up with. There's the usual "pick a major" or "get your life together". But the seasoned members are helping him remember the ground ball he booted with bases loaded in the 3rd. The 7th inning stretch rolls around and you don't hear much but the tape of the organ playing the tune over the loudspeaker. After two verses of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" the game is ready to continue. Homers follow by Steele, Gaston, Ziegler and Glenn. I lean back against the metal bench of section 13 and hope that this year is the year.

The game winds down, and the Cats put up a couple more security runs on the board. Heading into the top of the 9th, Lopez makes sure he has either Stoffel or Schlereth ready to close things out. Strike three is called and Arizona puts another win in the books. The fans gather their sunglasses and sunflower seeds, and head towards National Championship drive to collect their free 44 oz. thirst busters coupon from circle K for the 10+ strikeouts that Preston Guilmet and the rest of the Wildcat bullpen put in the scorebook. Jerry Kindall field lays dormant behind the smiles of wildcat fans young and old. They're hoping, as they have since 2004, that a trip to Omaha in June lies ahead.

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The #1 Arizona Wildcat Baseball team finished the weekend winning all 3 of their games in the Whataburger Classic. In those 3 games, there were zero runs allowed as they improved their record to 9-1 on the season. This weekend the Wildcats face the Cal State Fullerton Titans at Jerry Kindall Field at Frank Sancet Stadium. The series begins Friday at 7 p.m. MST.

Kenny George

2008-03-08T23:08:00.000-08:00

Has anyone had the opportunity to see this absolute freak of nature? For those who don't know, his name is Kenny George. He plays center for the University of North Carolina - Asheville basketball team. He's 7'7". Yes, almost 8 feet tall. I want you to look at the picture below. At first glance it almost seems like he's just a little bit bigger than the other player. Go ahead and click on the photo and then look at the size differential of the two players. The player in the picture is nearly 6'8" tall!!! I just can't get over how big this guy is.

I've enjoyed ending my posts with a trivia question so I'm going to keep with it. Kenny George is huge. There's no mistake about that. But this isn't anything new. We've seen a player in the early 90s who was just as big as Kenny George. Question is, what was his name? I'll even give you a photo to help. Hint: He's the big guy and there's an ironic coincidence with his name and Kenny's.

Unsung Sport

2008-03-08T01:29:00.000-08:00

Agility. Skill. Form. Release. All important aspects of a player's game. That game: Disc Golf. Yes, it's a sport. If you don't think so, you can take it up with 7,137 members of the Professional Disc Golf Association. 205 professionals kicked off the 2008 national tour this week in Phoenix. For those of you who don't know how the sport is played, let me enlighten you. It's more than just throwing a frisbee at some trees like most of your family reunion match-ups. There are actual holes. There are tees. There are drivers and there are putters. There are mandatory routes that the disc must fly through or you receive a penalty.

In all honesty it's a lot like real golf. You have to mark your disc after it comes to a stop. Instead of trees, holes look like this:

So you have a tee, a disc and you let it fly until you you get it in the hole. Disc Golf, as that's its proper name - not frisbee golf - is a great sport that is pretty decent exercise. I'll rarely post pictures of myself in my blog, but here's one of myself playing the great sport that you can see highlights on ESPN 8 The Ocho. Get after it!

All Grown Men Cry

2008-03-06T22:34:00.000-08:00

There's many post-game interviews that coaches and players do that leave an imprint in my mind. Jim Mora's "playoff's" , Mike Gundy's "I'm a man, I'm 40", just to name two. But there's one that is so heartfelt that it leaves me with a smile and a laugh every time I see it. I'll give you a prelude as to what happened before and during the game.

Tony Romo took a trip to Mexico the week prior to the game with girlfriend Jessica Simpson. The media was all over it, that this trip would cause a loss in the divisional playoff game against the soon-to-be NFL champions, New York Giants. Maybe they were right. The Dallas Cowboys, led by the arm of Tony Romo and the hands of Terrell Owens, had one last chance with :09 seconds left to score 6 points and win the game, being down 21 to 17. The result: an interception thrown into the hands of R.W. McQuarters to end the game and make history. It would be the first time in 20 years that the NFC's #1 seed would lose in the divisional round. Sure, there was plenty of emotion built up after losing the game at home, and end the game on an interception.

By the way, the answer to the trivia question about Brett Favre, is that his last NFL pass attempt for the now retired #4 was put into the arms of the opposite team. An interception. Look it up.

Well, after the storied week before the game and then the game itself, Terrell Owens had plenty to release emotionally. The end result: one of the greatest displays of how much a wide receiver loves the quarterback that throws him passes. Enjoy it. I sure did. And I will again, and again. So much that I had to share it with you.

Something Fun To See

2008-03-05T21:31:00.000-08:00

Today, while in the midst of writing many abstracts and broadcast news stories, I had the opportunity to see something that, in my eyes, is a glimpse at what the future will be like. I was able to watch two friends battle it out on the baseball diamond as professional baseball players at spring training. One player, from my hometown who ended up going to my rival high school as well as college, Colin Curtis. The other, a player I had the opportunity to spend many down hours with while studying at the University of Arizona. His name is Delmon Young. My boy D-Y, as we like to call him, now plays left field for the Minnesota Twins. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and was called up to start in right field for them last season. In the off season he was traded to Minnesota and it's a new start for him. He's a quiet guy. You have to poke and prod to get anything out of him. The kid is a man child, and is expected to bring a strong presence to the plate for the Twins this season. His first at bat today against the Yankees was a home run. Most people don't know that he lost the rookie of the year vote last season by one vote. He's a player that I hope great things for. Its always fun to see a guy you know play at the highest level.

Colin Curtis is one talented individual. He was a threat to my Arizona Wildcats when he played for ASU every time he came to the plate. Not only is he a talented hitter, but he can play tremendous defense, and has pretty decent speed. The road for him ahead is just a little harder than it is for Delmon. You see, Colin was drafted by the most notorious team in the game. The New York Yankees. When you are trying to compete for a spot over a guy like Johnny Damon (who Colin replaced in the 6th inning) you have the most minuscule chance. Here's my projection for Colin. He will get the September call-up this season. September call-ups are the opportunity to be in the dugout and be apart of a playoff team roster. The problem lies in those ahead of him that have enormous contracts with the Yankees. His talent alone can't get him a starting spot over a guy who makes millions of dollars a year. Down the line, he may have to request a trade, or negotiate a contact deal that will get him on the major league roster permanently. The facts remain that he is a major league caliber player. I hope it's sooner rather than later that he gets his opportunity.

Either way, it's a cool sight to see when you are able to witness something like this. I plan to post other happenings about my friends who are struggling to become professional baseball players in the future. There are quite a few that I hope to see on major league rosters in the next few years. The difficulty of becoming a professional baseball player is extremely hard to put into words. There's so many players you are up against. That's why my hat goes off to these guys, because they are truly the best at what they have decided to do. They've had to beat out a lot of players over their years to get where they are. I hope to see some hall of fame names out of this group. Question: Will Delmon Young hit more than 25 home runs this season for the Twins?

Who's Money Is It?

2008-03-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I'll just let these fine citizens answer that question. I don't know if this is marketing genius, or if it's just the worst commercial on the air today. It must be marketing genius because this commercial is absolutely everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if I caught this commercial during a program on the Lifetime Network. I can't help but think about the director who shot this commercial. I hear things in my head like, "show me anger!" and "I want to hear the anger in your voice!". Hilarious. If you watch some of these reactions, some look as though they've been robbed for every penny they've ever made. I mean, wow, they are sincerely angry.

Lastly today, any guesses on who this future NFL football player is? I'll give you some stats to give you a few hints. He was drafted out of Southern Mississippi by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1991 NFL Draft. He won the Super Bowl in 1996, defeating the New England Patriots 35-21. 9-time Pro Bowl selection. Holds the record for most consecutive starts by a quarterback in NFL history with 253. It's 275 if you include the playoffs. The last stat should have given it away, but this young #10 (we all know him as #4) is Brett Favre. This was today's biggest story in sports. After 17 seasons, Brett Favre retired from professional football. I'll be honest, I'm not that big of a Brett Favre fan. But I will tip my cap and say that he had a heck of a career. On ESPN today, the talk of the airwaves was the debate on if Brett Favre was one of the top 5 quarterback's in NFL history. Woody Paige, sportswriter for The Denver Post put it the best in my mind. He said that Favre was a great quarterback. That much you can't argue. But you have to look at records. And by records, it means Super Bowls. The ultimate test for a quarterback. Favre has only one Super Bowl victory. Montana, Unitas, and Bradshaw all have multiple Super Bowls. Paige listed Favre as #7 on his list of all-time greats. I think that's an accurate place to put him. His flare on the field and ability to drive down the field in pressure situations will be missed in the NFL. But here's the question today to test your memory for all you football fans out there: What was the outcome of the very last throw that Brett Favre made in his NFL career? You may find the answer interesting.

Arizona's Loss to UCLA

2008-03-03T23:24:00.000-08:00

I've decided to work on my writing. And what do you know, the best forum in the world is right here in the blogger's paradise. So I'm committing myself to writing a daily blog on whatever I feel like writing. I am giving a warning now however. Most of my blogs will be about the sporting world. Also, I hold the University of Arizona Wildcats near and dear to my heart, so they will find some time on here as well. But I will throw in some curve balls here and there about local, national, or world news that I feel pertinent to give a "Monson Memo" time to. So without further ado, let's hop right into the first memo concerning Arizona's loss to #4 UCLA this weekend.

LUTE IN THE HOUSE!!! For those who don't know, Lute Olson is on a leave of absence this season, and is a legend at the University of Arizona. If Arizona makes a trip to the NCAA Tournament this year, it will be for a record 23 years in a row. Something that schools like Duke, North Carolina and Kansas don't have the pleasure of saying. But it was senior day at McKale Center on Sunday, and Lute graced us with his presence to honor the lone senior on the team, Jawann McLellan. It will be interesting to see what happens next season, and if Lute returns. I'm open to conversation as to what you all may think.

These two players were under the spotlight. I don't think anyone can argue the fact that both of these guys can get to the next level, and will. It will only be a matter of time. Currently Jarryd Bayless is projected to go in the top 10 of this year's NBA Draft. Kevin Love of UCLA isn't listed as a top 10 pick, but I wouldn't be surprised if he went in the first round. Kevin Love is an ideal big man. He can do it all. Get points in the paint, play defense, get up and down the court, and amazingly enough, shoot the 3. Some would argue that his 24 points and 15 rebounds on Sunday carried the load to the Bruins' 68-66 victory. Bayless ended the night with 15, disappointingly under his 20.4 ppg season average. The talk of the night and who I say is the most inconsistent player this season on the Arizona squad: Chase Budinger. To clear up the confusion that you all may have, it is pronounced BUD-ing-grr. The kid can score. I'm just hoping he flips the switch come tourney time.

To wrap things up, I'm pleased with the way the Wildcats played. Although I despise and hate to agree with Duke graduate Jay Bilas, he's for once right. The Pac-10 is the hardest conference in the country to play in this year. So a loss by 2 to the #4 team in the country is somewhat bearable. I think that as Arizona heads to play the schools in the state of Oregon this week, they should be able to walk away with 2 wins to finish the regular season at 19-12. Arizona is said to have the hardest schedule in the country this season, and that alone should get you into the tournament with a few key wins. Ladies and gents "March Madness" has begun. Get your TiVo's ready and be prepared to head to the hardwood. This week's game to watch is Saturday's matchup between Duke and North Carolina at 6 p.m. PST on ESPN. Since I despise everything about Duke, go Tarheels. My question to you is does North Carolina deserve a #1 seed in the tournament with a loss to Duke this weekend? Hmm. Until tomorrow.