American League All-Star Team

There are less than 2 weeks left to vote in this year's All-Star Game....voting ends Thursday, June 28th....so I figure this is the best time to give my selections for this year's 30 man roster.....today I am focusing on the American League and tomorrow it will be the National League....here are my starters....

Catcher - Jorge Posada, New York - he is one of the leaders in hitting (.349, 8, 41)
First base - David Ortiz, Boston - even though Papi is usually a D.H. he gets the nod here (.332, 11, 42)
Second base - Placido Polanco, Detroit - how can you deny a guy hitting over .340 (.345, 1, 33)
Third base - Alex Rodriguez, New York - he is having a monster year (.306, 25, 68)
Shortstop - Derek Jeter, New York - he is up there in average, hits, and leadership (.335, 4, 31)
Outfield - Magglio Ordonez, Detroit (photo) - Mags is up there with A-Rod for MVP (.365, 13, 61)
Outfield - Ichiro, Seattle - this guys never slows down (.342, 5, 32, 25 sb)
Outfield - Vlad Guerrero, Anaheim - every year he is predicted to slow down because of injuries - yeh right (.333, 12, 61)
Starting pitcher - Chi Chi Sabathia, Cleveland - fans don't pick pitchers but he would be my man to start (9-2, 3.19, 96)

Now for the reserves.....
Catcher - Pudge Rodriguez, Detroit (.300, 7, 39)
Second base - Brian Roberts, Baltimore (.306, 2, 17, 22 sb)
Second base - B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay (.320, 9, 31)
Third/First base - Kevin Youkilis, Boston (.329, 8, 33)
Shortstop - Orlando Cabrera, Anaheim (.336, 3, 37)
Outfield - Torii Hunter, Minnesota (.312, 14, 54)
Outfield - Alex Rios, Toronto (.292, 15, 39)
Outfield - Grady Sizemore, Cleveland (.286, 11, 32, 20 sb)

Pitchers
Johan Santana, Minnesota (L) (6-6, 3.19, 105Ks)
Brian Bannister, Kansas City (R) (3-3, 2.91, 28)
Dan Haren, Oakland (R) (8-2, 1.64, 84)
Chad Gaudin, Oakland, (R) (6-1, 2.85, 53)
Erik Bedard, Baltimore (L) (4-4, 3.64, 112)
James Shields, Tampa Bay (R) (6-1, 3.30, 85)
John Lackey, Anaheim (R) (10-4, 2.53, 71)
Justin Verlander, Detroit (R) (7-2, 2.79, 68)
Josh Beckett, Boston (R) (9-1, 3.39, 68)
Akinori Otsuka, Texas (R) (1-1, 2.10, 4 saves)
Francisco Rodriguez, Anaheim (R) (0-2, 2.51, 21 saves)
J.J. Putz, Seattle (R) (0-0, 1.19, 19 saves) - photo
Bobby Jenks, Chicago (R) (2-2, 2.52, 17 saves)

Analysis - The All-Star team is comprised of 30 players, but it was still difficult to pick the most deserving....the most difficult part of selecting the pitching staff was to find quality southpaws after Sabathia.....the Orioles Eric Bedard made the team because he leads the A.L. in strikeouts and is a left-hander....Santana is not having a Santana-like year, but I needed another lefty...Andy Pettitte is deserving with his 2.93 era, but just missed out...some may wonder why Fausto Caromona did not make the team....he has more wins than Santana, but they both have similar ERAs - plus Santana has more strikeouts and is a southpaw...Texas and Kansas City do not deserve anyone on this team....I was going to take Mark Texiera as the Rangers representative but he is banged up....Kelvim Escobar and Jeremy Bonderman lost out because of the K.C. and Texas representatives....it looks like A-Rod will have to play the entire game at third....Youkilis is a nice pick because he provides diversity being that he can play either third or first...

I know I went with 3 second basemen, but Roberts and Upton are truly deserving even though I could whack one of them from the team because I have a Baltimore and Tampa representative also on the pitching staff.....many people do not realize that James Shields is throwing some solid ball down in the Sunshine State for the D-Rays.....the last spot was between Grady Sizemore, Manny Ramirez, Joe Mauer, and Mike Lowell....the nod went to Sizemore because he can hit and has speed if needed late in the game....

Note - Statistics were based on Saturday, June 16th

The Sunday Baker's Dozen

Denver Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla writes how Tiger Woods may be on the verge of fatherhood, but the memory of his dad is still there on Father's Day...

Mark Kiszla

Washington Post reporter Les Carpenter writes how former Cleveland Brown Bernie Parrish is fighting for better pensions for retired NFL players....

Les Carpenter

Boston Globe sports columnist is excited that he can listen to the great Vin Scully on his XM radio...

Bob Ryan

Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke is at the U.S. Open and hoping a guy named Bubba who scratches his back with his putter wins the thing....

Bill Plaschke

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel sports columnist writes how Barry Bonds' chase for The Record has slowed down....he only wishes it was over already....

Tom Haudricourt

Newark Star-Ledger reporter M.A. Mehta writes about the legendary blow-up between Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson....

M.A. Mehta

New York Daily News reporter Michael Daly writes how "big time" businesses are using government subsidies to move back to Ground Zero...

Michael Daly

New York Daily News reporter Thomas Zambito writes that Michael Jackson was almost swindled out of his money by friends and family....

Thomas Zambito

Former Atlanta Brave Dale Murphy tells Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Carroll Rogers he believes Barry Bonds took something to help pump upp his homerun numbers....

Carroll Rogers

Miami Herald sports columnist Dan Le Batard writes how baseball's "childish" acts are just part of the game....

Dan Le Batard

Indianapolis Star sports columnist Bob Kravitz writes how Indiana University athletic director Rick Greenspan had to make a difficult decision about the university's football program...

Bob Kravitz

Boston Globe reporter Stan Grossfeld writes how former Red Sox slugger Mo Vaughn is working to help provide low-income housing to people in need....

Stan Grossfeld

St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer tell how Oakland Athletics managing partner Lew Wolff is rooting against his childhood team this weekend....

Rick Hummel

Five Good Questions with . . . Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic about the Diamondbacks

Today "Five Good Questions" is with Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic....Nick is the D-backs beat writer for the paper...

Q1. A few years back the Diamondbacks began a youth movement in which they purged themselves of many veterans. Arizona is near first place about 10 games over .500. How come the youth movement was so successful so fast?
First of all, you have to give a lot of credit to the previous regime that was in place before Josh Byrnes & Co. took over in Nov. 2005. GM Joe Garagiola Jr. and his staff – in particular scouting director Mike Rizzo – did a fantastic job in the draft to stock the system and then held tightly to those coveted young players. Players like Conor Jackson, Carlos Quentin, Stephen Drew, Micah Owings, Justin Upton (who’s tearing up Double A), et al, are all homegrown. Then Byrnes came in and kept the team moving in the same direction, making trades for affordable, younger players like Orlando Hudson and Chris Young and beefed up the pitching staff with trades for Livan Hernandez, Doug Davis and Randy Johnson. The pitching in particular is probably the biggest reason they’ve been able to stay above .500 this season.

Q2. Arizona is the hottest team in the National League and did well on their east coast swing in which they played the N.Y. Mets. However,over the weekend the D-backs have had problems with the Boston Red Sox. What did you learn about the Diamondbacks and are they ready to "play with the big boys"?
It’s hard to really tell much from three games, particularly when Brandon Webb wasn’t one of the starting pitchers – and we all know how important he is to the success of this team – but it did appear as if they were a notch below the Red Sox, who, remember, were playing without the designated hitter. The Diamondbacks lineup doesn’t have the top-to-bottom depth of the Red Sox, and their bullpen had some trouble in two of the games. I’m sure the Diamondbacks are hopeful that their players like Drew and Quentin will be bigger threats as they get more at-bats and experience.

Q3. Who are a few quality players on the team that many people on the east coast have not heard about just because they play in Arizona?
Two young pitchers come to mind: Micah Owings and Tony Pena. Neither get a whole lot of pub, but both have done quite well thus far. Owings, who was a combined 16-2 in the minor leagues last season, has a 3.76 ERA. Although he has all of 52 2/3 major league innings under his belt, looking at the way he attacks hitters and his mound comportment, you’d think he were a 10-year veteran. Nothing fazes him. And he’ll throw pretty much any pitch in any situation. Pena is a guy whom the club converted from a starter to a reliever before last season and he really took to it right away, dominating in the minor leagues before getting a second-half callup. He has been close to overpowering pitching the seventh or eighth inning for Bob Melvin this year, effectively mixing his mid-90s fastball and hard slider. I absolutely agree with the club’s long-term vision of him as a closer.

Q4. What areas must the Diamondbacks improve upon during the season? Do you think they will be active before the trade deadline? If so, who would be someone that the team covets?
Their offense has been hit or miss all season. They’ve got to get more production from guys like Quentin and Drew. They’ve got to stay healthy, too. Quentin, Tracy, Drew, Chris Young – all have had injuries of varying degrees throughout the season. They need these guys healthy and productive. It’s really tough to tell whether they’ll be active at the deadline. They could probably use another solid reliever, but they may feel they have some guys in Triple-A – Medders at the moment, if they can get him straightened out – who can help out eventually. Another bat would help, too, but I just don’t see that kind of trade happening.

Q5. Living on the east coast I have to ask, why did the organization change team colors from purple to red? What do you think of the switch?
The team listed a few different reasons, including television stations having trouble matching their graphics colors accurately to the team jerseys, but I think it had a lot to do with the club’s new ownership group wanting to kind of put their stamp on the organization. Since Jerry Colangelo was forced out in Aug. 2004 and Ken Kendrick and Jeff Moorad have been running day-to-day operations, there have been all kinds of changes, including the team president, the GM, VPs, the PR director, and I kind of lump the color change in with all that. I like the switch. Granted, they look a whole lot like some other teams in baseball, like Houston, for example, but I think they’re pretty sharp.

Q5a. One extra question, what is your opinion about Barry Bonds and "The Record"?
You know, I just sat here and wrote an answer ripping Bonds, then read it and decided I wanted to defend him, at which point I just deleted both answers and started again. I guess I don’t feel strongly about this. It’s a really tough situation, one of those where it seems like any opinion is valid. I can see both sides. A lot of guys were doing steroids and he still hit the home runs. Then again, if there’s so much evidence (granted, no known failed drug test) against him, it’s hard to consider it a clean record. I guess I’m just glad that I’ve got about seven years before I’m eligible to vote for the Hall of Fame. Plenty of time to make up my mind.....

I want to thank Nick for his time....he has been traveling across the country the last two weeks with the D-Backs playing in New York then heading home for a week then coming back to New York for a series with the Yankees....

College World Series Preview - Rice and Arizona State

Today we have another doubleheader.....first up is Moisekapenda Bower of the Houston Chronicle who gives his thoughts about the Rice Owls baseball team......he is followed by Jeff Metcalfe of the Arizona Republic who covers the Arizona State Sun Devils....now batting first, Moisekapenda Bower...

Q1. The Rice Owls are headed back to the College World Series again. Last season they finished third. How would you compare this year's team to that of last year's?
The Owls' pitching depth is superior this time around. Last season, All-American lefthander Joe Savery was unable to take the mound because of lingering shoulder discomfort, and while he hasn't dominated this season, he has been stout on the hill. Toss in Freshman Pitcher of the Year (as named by Collegiate Baseball) Ryan Berry and Matt Langwell, who has been virtually untouchable for six weeks, and the Owls have a strong three-man rotation. Their fourth starter, Chris Kelley, has yet to pitch in the NCAA Tournament, but he closed the season on a roll. Relievers Cole St. Clair and Bobby Bramhall, both lefthanders, have been exceptional, too. Of course, the Owls' pitching wasn't the problem when they were shut out in back-to-back games by eventual national champion Oregon State at the 2006 College World Series. Their offense has less power this season (.466 slugging percentage as compared to .504 in 2006), and the Owls have slumped at the plate in the NCAA Tournament (22 runs and a .275 average in five games).

Q2. Joe Savery is the star of this team. What can you tell the readers about Savery?
Savery has been the focal point of his teams since Little League. He was a two-sport standout athlete in high school, and has shouldered an enormous burden in his three seasons at Rice. He was the most ballyhooed recruit of the Owls' current crop of talented juniors, and is arguably the top two-way player in the nation. When one takes into account what is asked of Savery - shut down the opposition when on the mound, and hit in the heart of the order while producing runs, it's hard to imagine any one player nationally having more responsibility.

Q3. What type of coach is Wayne Graham? Does he manage "by the book" or is he a "gut-type" of manager?
Graham certainly does things by feel. Of course, he, like any other coach/manager, plays the percentages in most situations, but he does occasionally make moves that go contrary to the book. He'll tinker with his lineup depending on the opposing starter, but he doesn't automatically go lefty-vs-righty in every scenario. He shows trust in his players, and that impacts who pitches, who runs the bases, who plays defense, and who takes a bat to the plate.

Q4. What other Rice players, besides Savery, should people keep an eye on?
Junior shortstop Brian Friday may be the most versatile hitter on the team, and when he is in sync defensively, he can be brilliant. Junior catcher Danny Lehmann is an outstanding handler of pitchers and a sound situational hitter - he has only 14 strikeouts in 177 at-bats. Sophomore left fielder/second baseman/designated hitter Aaron Luna is mired in a miserable slump in the NCAA Tournament, but he was scorching at the Conference USA tournament. Junior reliever Bobby Bramhall has an exceptional changeup, and junior closer Cole St. Clair has shown a flair of the dramatic while escaping jams. He missed the first two months of the season with a shoulder injury, and while he hasn't returned to his 2006 All-American form, has been solid nonetheless.

Q5. Rice will more than likely be one of the top seeds, if not the #1 seed. What is your prediction for Rice in the tournament?
The Owls certainly have the pitching to win it all. What remains to be seen is whether they can muster the offense to win five games in Omaha. Their half of the bracket is manageable, but they will need a jolt of offense to beat a team like Arizona State in the championship series.

Now up is Jeff Metcalfe about the Arizona State Sun Devils....

Q1. You wrote that this may be ASU's best team since the 1981 team. Why is that? What are their strengths?
Arizona State hits .350 as a team, not far off the school record .356 set by the 1981 and '99 teams. The Sun Devils don't have as much power as the '81 team, which slammed 110 home runs. But they have 150 doubles to go with 75 homers and lead the nation with a 9.5-run scoring average.

Q2. Brent Wallace was the PAC-10 Player of the Year. What can you tell us about him?
Wallace hit .371 as a freshman only to be overshadowed by (teammate and son for former major leaguer Ron Day) Ike Davis, 2006 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. This season it's been the reverse. Wallace is hitting .423 and dominated the Pac-10 in every significant offensive category. He's a team-first guy from Sonoma, Calif., who grew up wanting to play for ASU. The best thing about Wallace is that no matter how eye-popping his stats, it's never about him but rather about what he can do for the Sun Devils.

Q3. Who are some of the other key players for the Sun Devils who we need to keep an eye on? Who has major-league baseball potential?
Second baseman Eric Sogard, undrafted out of high school, was a second-round pick last week by San Diego. He is a Phoenix-area player who epitomizes the kind of improvement that can occur at an elite level college program. The addition of former major league infielder Andy Stankiewicz turned Wallace (first base), Sogard, Andrew Romine (shortstop) and Matt Hall (among others at third base) into a stellar defensive unit. ASU leads the nation in fielding percentage. Others to watch include outfielder Matt Spencer, who reached the 2006 College World Series championship series with North Carolina; Davis, son of former major league pitcher Ron Davis; Romine, whose father Kevin was on the 1981 ASU title team and is the only regular returning from the Sun Devils' 2005 CWS third-place team; and the pitching foursome of Mike Leake, Josh Satow, Brian Flores and closer Jason Jarvis.

Q4. What type of coach is Pat Murphy? Does he manage "by the book" or is he a "gut-type" of manager?
Murphy, in his 13th season at ASU and going to Omaha for the third time, is a media dream. He's just as likely to go off about Springsteen or boxing as he is about baseball although get him started on respect/the game and the sport's place in the cosmos and be prepared for a long conversation. He can play traditional small ball early in a game to get a lead but certainly can't be labeled as a by-the-book coach. He makes creative use of his entire roster and during the postseason switched to CJ Retherford at third base, who has come through with his first three home runs of the season. The Sun Devils are good enough to win by playing it straight, but Murphy takes chances on the base paths to force action and loves to tinker with defensive replacements. He'll give up the designated hitter at times and let Jarvis hit in that spot, who's come through with four doubles in 15 at-bats.

Q5. What is your prediction for Omaha? Who will win it all?
ASU lost in a regional at Rice last year without getting a chance to play the Owls. The Sun Devils also came within a game of the CWS championship series in 2005, but fell short of playing Texas for the title. I like ASU's chances of getting out of its bracket into the best-of-3 final and hopefully facing Rice to make up for the missed opportunity in '06. Murphy's teams were second in 1998 and third in 2005. This feels like the breakthrough team that puts him into national-championship company with ASU's College Baseball Hall of Fame coaches Bobby Winkles and Jim Brock.

I want to thank both reporters for taking their time to respond.....it is much appreciated....here are some links to check out...

San Antonio News-Express sports columnist Buck Harvey salutes the four-time champion Spurs...

Buck Harvey

It was a day of joy and disappointment for LeBron...

Bill Livingston

N.Y. Daily News basketball writer Mitch Lawrence rips LeBron for his game 4 performance and also takes a shot at the Spurs for being "dull"...

Mitch Lawrence

N.Y. Post basketball columnist Pete Vecsey gives his final thoughts on The Finals...

Pete Vecsey

Washington Post columnist Tom Boswell gives his thoughts on the first day of the U.S. Open...

Tom Boswell

The N.Y. Post previews the big Subway Series between the Mets and Yankees...

Yankees-Mets Preview

For those who like reading about serial killers, the N.Y. Daily News is doing a special on The Son of Sam -- 30 years later...

Son of Sam

The College World Series - N. Carolina & Mississippi State Previews

Today I begin a preview of the College Baseball World Series which begins on Friday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.....the first round games are as follows: Rice (54-12) vs. Louisville (46-22); North Carolina (53-13) vs. Mississippi State (38-20); U.C. Irvine (45-15-1) vs. Arizona State (46-13); Oregon State (44-18) vs. Cal State Fullerton (38-23).....Oregon State is the defending champions....

Ken Tysiac of The Charlotte Observer gives us his thoughts about the North Carolina Tar Heels.....also today, Kyle Veazey of the Jackson (Miss) Clarion-Ledger gives us the lowdown on the Mississippi State Bulldogs....I want to thank both reporters for their time.....let’s start off with Ken and his thoughts about the Tar Heels.....

Q1. This is the second straight year that the Tar Heels made the College World Series. What is the difference between last year's team and this year's team?
Last year's team had dominating starting pitching with Andrew Miller and Daniel Bard. Robert Woodard, who befuddled Clemson in last year's College World Series, still is a strong No. 1 starter for the Tar Heels, but Alex White and Luke Putkonen aren't as reliable. This year's team has a better bullpen, though, with Andrew Carignan as a hard-throwing closer and Rob Wooten emerging as a set-up man whose breaking stuff is baffling.

Q2. What is the strength of this team?
In the NCAA tournament, North Carolina's comeback ability has been its strength. The Tar Heels have come from behind in their last four wins, including rallies from six-run and three-run deficits against South Carolina in the super regional. The aforementioned bullpen is one reason for that. Opponents who get leads can't extend them against the likes of Wooten and Carignan.

Q3. Who are some of the key players for the Tar Heels who we need to keep an eye on? Who has major-league baseball potential?
Shortstop Josh Horton is a second-round pick of the Oakland A's. He probably will play a different position as a pro because he's not a wizard defensively, but should be an excellent third baseman or outfielder in the pros. Carignan has been clocked at 97 miles per hour on the radar gun and is a fifth-round choice of the A's. First baseman Dustin Ackley was probably the best freshman in college baseball this season and is a fantastic hitter, though he's been cold at the plate in the NCAA tournament.

Q4. What type of coach is Mike Fox? Does he manage "by the book" or is he a "gut-type" of manager?
It's difficult to place Fox in one of those categories. I would describe him as low-key coach whose greatest asset is demonstrating confidence in his players. They believe they can win no matter how far they get behind now, and that will make them dangerous in Omaha.

Q5. What is your prediction for Omaha? Who will win it all?
North Carolina is the only team I've seen in person, so it's difficult for me to judge. Rice is probably the team to beat, but Oregon State has an edge in experience as defending champion. Just like Florida in the men's basketball tournament, it's tough to pick against Oregon State.

Now Kyle Veazey about Mississippi State....

Q1. This is the first time in nine years that the Bulldogs are going to Omaha. Why is this team so different compared to past Mississippi State teams?
This program had really fallen into a rut of being good enough to get to a regional and that's it, and it had started to show in things like attendance, lack of confidence in (head coach) Ron Polk, etc. But you kind of felt from the get-go that this team didn't care anything about that, and that they're a loose, joking, fun-loving group of guys. I can't even begin to count how many players I've interviewed that have said there are no cliques, no animosity, no arrogance in the locker room. I'm usually not the kind who buys into emotion over execution, but it's hard to deny it with this club.

Q2. What is the strength of this team?
It's a hitting team, no question about it. The pitching is adequate, but as I just got finished writing for a story for tomorrow, there is no ace, and they don't make any bones about it. The team lives and dies on hitting, and it died for a few weeks there in May when it wasn't doing that too well. Once the confidence returned to hitting in Tallahassee -- and Brandon Turner returned, too -- this was the club we saw back in March and April.

Q3. Who are some of the key players for the Bulldogs who we need to keep an eye on? Who has major-league baseball potential?
As for the guys who just got drafted, Ed Easley is going to be wildly successful at the next level. He's a prototypical catcher, and that's a commodity. Don't count out Jeffrey Rea, a hitting machine who is small but has always overcome the odds. As for the young guys on this team, you take one look at how Brandon Turner approaches hitting and swings the bat in BP, and you get the impression he'll be a rich, rich man one day. He's just a freshman right now.

Q4. Over 12,000 fans attended the game on Saturday night against Clemson. What does it mean for the Starkville area and the Miss. State campus for the team to make it to Omaha?
It means everything. Mississippi State has had football success but has never been a sustained power, and the economic disparity in the SEC still has the odds stacked against it. There has been recent success in basketball, but still not at the postseason level. Baseball, ever since the 1980s, has been the sport at which this fan base has been able to poke its chest out. MSU baseball is one of the nation's top programs. And to get back to that level of postseason success that was once so commonplace here, well, it's such a great feeling for MSU fans. The fan support this weekend wasn't a surprise, really. People have been waiting to go nuts over this team for a long time.

Q5. What is your prediction for Omaha? Who will win it all?
I don't let predictions interfere with good, unbiased journalism, so allow me to diplomatically duck this question. I do think Arizona State is a team to watch out for in the other bracket. And unfortunately for the team I cover, my gut says a North Carolina team that's back from the national title series last year is going to be a team to watch out for in the top bracket. But why not Mississippi State? If it plays as hot as it has these past two weeks, it's as good as any of the other seven clubs.

I want to thank both reporters for their time....it is much appreciated...tomorrow we will hear from M.K. Bower of the Houston Chronicle about the Rice Owls and Jeff Metcalfe of the Arizona Republic about the Arizona State Sun Devils....here are a few links to check out...

For the best coverage of the College World Series, go to the Omaha World-Herald at the link below...

Omaha World-Herald

The U.S. Open opens today at Oakmont, which is near Pittsburgh....the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has every eagle, birdie, and bogey covered...

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Cavs do need a miracle to win even just 1 game, and they may have a start with the nuns who cheer on the team...The Plain Dealer's Laura Johnston has it covered...

Laura Johnston

The Washington Post's Michael Wilbon writes how King James needs some more soldiers if he wants a bigger kingdom...

Michael Wilbon

Guest Columnist - Brian from OneMoreDyingQuail gives his All-Star Selections

My newest, bestest friend, Brian, from the blog onemoredyingquail is today's guest columnist as he provides his selections for this year's All-Star Game in San Francisco...I encourage you to check out his blog

1 More Dying Quail

What you see below is proof positive that I should never, ever be in charge of putting together an All-Star team. Two starters for the Yankees, a team that until a week ago was dead in the water? Are you serious? And I'm a Red Sox fan! This should be illegal. Rest assured, it used to be worse – at one point, if you can imagine it, I had two Devil Rays in the starting nine.

Yes, I feel I know a lot about baseball – why do you ask? But anyway…all this crappiness shouldn't stop me from trying to put together the perfect squad, right? Right. So here we go, two teams – first the starters, then the reserves, then the pitchers. In a perfect world, we'll end up with a pair of 25-man rosters representing every team in the American and National Leagues. I refuse, however, to sink so low as including someone the likes of Mark Redman. I'll take a minor leaguer first.
American League - Starters
Catcher – Jorge Posada, New York Yankees (.358 BA, 7 HR, 40 RBI) - (photo)
First Base – David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (.330, 11, 42)
Second Base – B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (.320, 9, 41)
Third Base – Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees (.304, 24, 63)
Shortstop – Orlando Cabrera, Los Angeles Angels (.335, 3, 35)
Outfield – Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians (.285, 11, 32)
Outfield – Torii Hunter, Minnesota Twins (.308, 13, 49)
Outfield – Magglio Ordonez, Detroit Tigers (.367, 13, 56)

Bench
Catcher - Victor Martinez, Cleveland Indians (.319, 12, 54)
First Base – Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins (.273, 17, 46)
Shortstop – Michael Young, Texas Rangers (.284, 4, 36)
Center Field – Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (.304, 6, 38)
Utility – Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox (.336, 8, 32)

Starting Pitcher – Danny Haren, Oakland Athletics (7-2 W-L, 1.58 ERA, 76 K)
Starting Pitcher – Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox (9-0, 2.88, 67)
Starting Pitcher – John Lackey, Los Angeles Angels (9-4, 2.60, 67)
Starting Pitcher – Gil Meche, Kansas City Royals (3-6, 3.16, 68)
Starting Pitcher – Chad Gaudin, Oakland Athletics (6-1, 2.43, 51)
Starting Pitcher – C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland Indians (9-1, 3.09, 89)
Starting Pitcher – Erik Bedard, Baltimore Orioles (4-4, 3.72, 103)
Relief Pitcher – J.J. Putz, Seattle Mariners (18 saves, 1.23, 31)
Relief Pitcher – Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Angels (19 saves, 2.36, 37)
Relief Pitcher – Bobby Jenks, Chicago White Sox (17 saves, 2.59, 23)
Relief Pitcher – Brian Tallett, Toronto Blue Jays (2-1, 1.80, 20)
Relief Pitcher – Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins (14 saves, 1.98, 28)

National League - Starters
Catcher – Russell Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers (.299, 7, 40) - (photo)
First Base – Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers (.298, 23, 51)
Second Base – Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies (.302, 11, 48)
Third Base – Miguel Cabrera, Florida Marlins (.333, 14, 47)
Shortstop – Jose Reyes, New York Mets (.310, 2, 28)
Outfield – Matt Holliday, Colorado Rockies (.352, 10, 46)
Outfield – Ken Griffey, Jr., Cincinnati Reds (.284, 15, 36)
Outfield – Eric Byrnes, Arizona Diamondbacks (.319, 9, 33)

Bench
Catcher – Bengie Molina, San Francisco Giants (.308, 6, 33)
First Base – Dmitri Young, Washington Nationals (.342, 6, 33)
First Base – Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (.299, 15, 40)
Shortstop – Edgar Renteria, Atlanta Braves (.325, 9, 33)
Outfield – Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants (.276, 12, 28)
Outfield – Jason Bay, Pittsburgh Pirates (.286, 11, 45)

Starting Pitcher – Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres (7-1, 1.97, 95)
Starting Pitcher – Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies (8-2, 3.57, 96)
Starting Pitcher – Rich Hill, Chicago Cubs (5-4, 2.71, 74)
Starting Pitcher – Brad Penny, Los Angeles Dodgers (7-1, 2.26, 54)
Starting Pitcher – John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves (7-3, 2.83, 69)
Starting Pitcher – John Maine, New York Mets (6-3, 2.78, 66)
Starting Pitcher – Ben Sheets, Milwaukee Brewers (6-3, 3.21, 54)
Relief Pitcher – Takashi Saito, Los Angeles Dodgers (17 saves, 1.73, 32)
Relief Pitcher – Billy Wagner, New York Mets (14 saves, 1.65, 36)
Relief Pitcher – Trevor Hoffman, San Diego Padres (18 saves, 2.16, 17)
Relief Pitcher – Jose Valverde, Arizona Diamondbacks (21 saves, 3.33, 29)
Relief Pitcher – Francisco Cordero, Milwaukee Brewers (22 saves, 2.05, 37)

So who comes out of this mess with the win? The counterintuitive choice would be the National League. The Senior Circuit representatives have dropped 15 of 19 since 1988, including the last nine that didn't end in a tie, which I believe is what those folks who believe in statistical analysis refer to as a "trend" (or maybe it's a "fluke" – I really don't know). My heart says that choosing the National League is the way to go – all streaks have to end at some point – but my brain is telling me to take the dominant American League (home field advantage, baby!), so that's the direction I'm headed. AL 7, NL 3, with Upton (photo) announcing his presence with authority and winning the MVP.

I want to thank Brian for his time and effort with his selections....it is much appreciated...

Here are today's links
For one time the referee does not call a foul on Bruce Bowen....

Buck Harvey

Akron Beacon-Journal’s Terry Pluto writes how everything is not going the Cavs way in the series...

Terry Pluto

Detroit Tigers Justin Verlander throws a no-hitter last night against the Milwaukee Brewers...

Detroit Free Press

Washington Post’s John “Junior” Feinstein writes about who is better - Tiger or Roger?...

John Feinstein

Detroit Free-Press’ Mitch Albom writes about his interview with Jack Kevorkian...

Mitch Albom

Blogger gets booted from NCAA event

Here is a new issue for bloggers.....on Sunday The Louisville Courier-Journal’s Brian Bennett was submitting a live blog during game 3 of the Louisville-Oklahoma State Super Regional game in Louisville, Kentucky when he was told by an NCAA representative in the bottom of the fifth inning that blogging from an NCAA championship even is against NCAA policies....Bennett had done live blogging during the previous two games.....the NCAA official then revoked Bennett’s credentials and asked him to leave....

On Monday night I emailed Bennett to get his side of the story.....he responded with the following:
I've been advised by the newspaper not to do any interviews on this subject at this time. Thanks for your interest, Brian
The following links have more detail about the incident including Bennett’s take....

Brian Bennett describes the incident....

Brian Bennett Blog

This is the report which appeared on ESPN.com.....

ESPN

Courier-Journal reporter Rick Bozich reports on Bennett being asked to stop blogging.....

Rick Bozich

Sopranos
Why are so many people upset with the Sopranos ending?....I have heard and read how people were disappointed because there was no “closure” and things were no “tied up”......what????.....I thought the ending was excellent.....the closure was the fact that life goes on for Tony Soprano.....Tony will always have to deal with indictments, the feds, looking over his shoulder as who may be trying to whack him, and just the plain old simple family issues that we all face everyday.....

Even the lyrics indicate that Tony is “the chosen one” and somehow he always survives the problems he faces.....throughout the series, Tony survived two incidents where he was shot, a troubled marriage, partners who flipped on him, etc.....here are the lyrics:

You woke up this morning
Got yourself a gun,
Mama always said you'd be
The Chosen One.

She said: You're one in a million
You've got to burn to shine,
But you were born under a bad sign,
With a blue moon in your eyes.

You woke up this morning
All the love has gone,
Your Papa never told you
About right and wrong.

But you're looking good, baby,
I believe you're feeling fine, (shame about it),
Born under a bad sign
With a blue moon in your eyes.

You woke up this morning
The world turned upside down,
Thing's ain't been the same
Since the Blues walked into town.

But you're one in a million
You've got that shotgun shine.
Born under a bad sign,
With a blue moon in your eyes.

The following link is writer/creator David Chase’s take on the final episode....

Newark Star-Ledger

Five Good Questions with . . . Adam Rubin of the N.Y. Daily News about the New York Mets

Today's "Five Good Questions" is with Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News....Adam has been covering the New York Mets since 2003 and was gracious enough to give us a few minutes of his time.....he is the author of the book "Pedro, Carlos and Omar: The Story of a Season in the Big Apple and the Pursuit of Baseball's Top Latino Stars."....

Q1. Going into the season, starting pitching was a big question for the Mets. However, the staff has been solid. What does the staff have to do in order to hold up all season and into the post-season?
Really, just stay healthy. Orlando Hernandez already has been to the DL once, and Mets fans will remember him coming up lame on the eve of last year's division series with a strained calf muscle. The Mets should receive a jolt when Pedro Martinez returns, which is projected to be sometime in August. He just threw off a mound June 5 for the first time since rotator cuff surgery. Jorge Sosa has done a solid job with that rotation slot in the interim.

Q2. A few years ago Oliver Perez pitched some dynamite ball for the Pirates but had problems the last two years and was even in the minors at one point last season. What have the Mets done to revive his career?
Really, pitching coach Rick Peterson has done wonders with Perez psychologically more so than mechanically. Perez was so confused with the Pirates, his velocity declined to the upper-80s because he was fighting himself on the mound while thinking too much. Also, he's not as prone to combusting when bad things happen. Those high-walk games look like a thing of the past as a result.

Q3. What is the latest on Lastings Milledge? Does he have a place with the Mets this season or do you see him being traded during the season? Also, it was reported last season that Milledge had a bit of an attitude - has that changed?
As far as on-field stuff, Milledge has a sprained foot ligament that's kept him out for about a month. He has the boot he was wearing, but is still probably a couple of weeks away from returning to competitive action. Off the field, Milledge did a great job rehabilitating his image with teammates and outside observers during spring training. I'm afraid he lost some of that when word of his rap project with explicit lyrics came out last month. The Mets aren't going to give him away, but it's not too hard to project that Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez are the Mets' corner outfielders of the future, and that Milledge eventually figures to wind up with another organization.

Q4. What areas must the Mets improve upon during the season? Who are some hot names they may try to acquire during the season?
Bullpen help would be the key, though Guillermo Mota's recent return from a 50-game steroid suspension should provide a boost. It would be easy to throw out names such as the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano, but I'm not sure the cost would make sense for a rental player, especially if Martinez shows he can resume his late 1990s form like he predicts.

Q5. How would you compare this year's Mets team with last season's? After losing Game 7 of the NLCS, has that experience made this team mentally stronger?
The Mets are just as determined, if not more. The teams are fairly comparable, with the exception of the late-inning roles leading up to Billy Wagner. Aaron Heilman had Duaner Sanchez as an eighth-inning tag-team partner early last year, then Mota later. Mota may reassume that role. Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano have done nice jobs, too, to provide an alternative as Heilman struggles to match his success from last year.

Q5a. One extra question I have to ask, what is your opinion about Barry Bonds and "The Record"?
It's hard to celebrate something you believe may be tainted. Hopefully by the time Bonds is eligible for Hall of Fame election we'll be more informed.

I want to thank Adam for his time.....it is much appreciated....now for a few interesting links....
The Cavs are in a familiar position, but the Plain Dealer's Bill Livingston writes that they need a new plan if they want to win four of the next five games...

Bill Livingston

San Antonio Express-News columnist Buck harvey writes about Robert Horry...he didn't need to hit a last second shot, but his all-around effort helped the Spurs go up 2-0....

Buck Harvey

Angry fans flood HBO site after many are disappointed with Sopranos ending...

Deadline Hollywood

Before Mel Kiper there was BLESTO scouting based out of Pittsburgh...after 44 years, the scouting office of two people has closed its doors in the Steel City...Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports columnist writes about the old scouting service...

Ed Bouchette

The Sunday Baker's Dozen

A Triple Crown may not have been at stake at yesterday's Belmont Stakes, but a historic victory by filly Rags to Riches was the big news....Newday's Paul Moran has the story....

Paul Moran

What's going to happen to Tony Soprano?....everyone has a thought, even LeBron James....the Cavs may be down 1-0, but The Plain Dealer's Bill Livingston writes that King James is not nervous....

Bill Livingston

Tonight is the last episode of The Sopranos so there is no better place to get the latest on our Jersey mobsters than from a New Jersey newspaper....

Newark Star Ledger

Kansas City Star sports columnist Jason Whitlock would rather be at home watching what happens to Tony Soprano than being at The Finals...

Jason Whitlock

L.A. Times basketball writer Mark Heisler writes that LeBron may be Jordan-esque, but he is not Jordan....

Mark Heisler

Former Spur Sean Elliott breaks down game 2 in today's San Antonio Express-News....

Sean Elliott

Washington Post sports columnist Tom Boswell writes about this week's U.S. Open in which the spotlight will be on Phil Mickelson after his meltdown last year on the 72nd hole....

Tom Boswell

New York Daily News sports columnist gives his take on Roger Clemens' 2007 debut....

Mike Lupica

Houston Chronicle baseball writer Richard Justice writes about Clemens and other baseball tidbits in his blog Sports Justice....

Richard Justice

Indianapolis Star's Mark Alesia writes how former Ohio State star Greg Oden not only has an agent as the NBA draft nears, but he also has a media coach in order to improve his image...

Mark Alesia

For NASCAR fans, the Charlotte Observer has a nice racing site that you may want to bookmark....

Charlotte Observer

Newport News Press sports columnist David Teel writes that silence is golden when involving Michael Vick....

David Teel

Think you had a bad week?....we can't forget about the week Paris Hilton had....but the Associated Press reports that many of the Hollywood star are not offering up their support to the hotel heiress...

Associated Press

Finally here is my take on The Sopranos....Tony will live but will be a broken man spiritually as one of his two kids will be accidently killed because of his feud with the N.Y. mob...my bet is that Meadow gets whacked...

Guest Columnist - Sooze from BabesLoveBaseball gives her All-Star selections

Today we have a guest columnist....it’s our favorite baseball babe - Sooze - from BabesLoveBaseball......check out her site because she updates it throughout the day with all types of baseball news.....

BabesLoveBaseball

....
so without further adieu, I give you Minnesota's finest - Sooze...

Since I'm a die-hard from Minnesota, it is nearly impossible for me to pick anyone but Twins for every starting AL position and Brewers from top to bottom for the NL in real life, but here goes nothin'.

American League
If Joe Mauer wasn't out with a strained quad right now, you know I'd choose him in a heartbeat. For now, I'm forced to go with Ivan Rodriguez, who is batting .296 with 5 home runs and 29 RBI for the Detroit Tigers. He's Pudge and we love him.

First base could go to the Canadian Crusher, Justin Morneau, who is the reigning AL MVP, but... who is Justin Morneau, again? This corner goes to Big Papi. David Ortiz (photo) is batting .333 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI for the Red Sox.

At second base, Robinson Cano is a shoo-in, but Placido Polanco is quickly gaining my favoritism, driving in 30 runs and batting .335 this season.

Shortstop goes to Derek Jeter, who is miles ahead of even Miguel Tejada in the popularity contest. He has his own cologne, you know.

Third base belongs to Alex Rodriguez. It just does. After the April he had, May left him looking like a rookie. But he's still A-Rod, and Mike Lowell just doesn't interest the paparazzi.

Manny will be Manny in left field, because who doesn't love Manny's antics? He's not even close to batting .300 yet this season and has hit only 8 bombs so far, but he's playing on a Boston team that has a stranglehold on the AL East.

Right field goes to the Angels' Vladimir Guerrero. He's a monster at the plate, already smoking 50 RBI this season with a huge .357 batting average.

Center field is a Gold Glove toss-up between the rolling Ichiro Suzuki and the defensive prowess of Torii Hunter, who has also been swinging a hot bat this season. Ichiro is on a mad streak right now, batting .333 with 76 hits while Hunter has 12 homers and 46 RBI with a .306 average.

National League
It's going to be a heated race between Brian McCann and Paul Lo Duca for the NL catcher's position. McCann has been a cornerstone of the Atlanta Braves' roster while Lo Duca is on the hottest team in the NL.

First Base is all Albert Pujols (photo). Prince Albert is riding the post-World Series season with a .292 batting average, 11 home runs and 31 RBI.

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley gets the nod for second due to his hot glove and even hotter bat, nailing 10 longballs so far this year to compliment his 40 runs driven in.

New York Mets thieving shortstop, Jose Reyes is the only man for the job to tag team with Utley. With a big league-leading 30 stolen bases, Reyes is batting .315 along with some outstanding defensive skills. He's just awesome.

Third Base will go to Reyes' fellow New Yorker, David Wright. Here's where all the ladies' votes really start to count. Wright shaved his head last month and finally started hitting the ball, accumulating a .272 average.

The obvious choice for left field is The Slugger Himself, Barry Bonds. Chasing Hank Aaron's record this season, Bonds has 12 homers and double the RBI. Plus, the All-Star game is on his home field.

Since Jeff Francoeur is the only actual right-fielder cool enough to top the ballots, I'll let Andruw Jones play this position. Even though Jones has had a slumpy season, everyone wants him to play well and see him in the Mid-Summer Classic in what could possibly be his last season in Atlanta.

Centerfield will go to future Hall of Famer, Ken Griffey, Jr. The man has had more video games named after him than the years spent in the big leagues by all the other candidates combined. Carlos Beltran is great too, however. Kinda' like the 35-21 Mets.

I want to thank Sooze for her time.....and check out her site.....now here some links to Game 1 of The Finals....

The Plain Dealer’s Bud Shaw writes how the Spurs Tony Parker is a match-up problem for the Cavs....

Bud Shaw

Akron Beacon-Journal sports columnist Terry Pluto writes how the Cavs got a wake-up call in game 1 of The Finals....even though the Spurs may be a better team, the Cavs can still come away with a split in the first two games....

Terry Pluto

San Antonio Express-News sports columnist Buck Harvey writes how the “Global Icon” was brought back to reality in game 1.....

Buck Harvey

My thoughts on the NBA Finals

I have spent the last few days reading and analyzing the two teams left in the NBA playoffs....with me living in Northeast Ohio, of course, at times, I am reading some coverage that is naturally pro-Cavs....for instance, in a column which appeared in Tuesday’s Akron Beacon-Journal, columnist Terry Pluto wrote how most of the “experts” were picking against the Cavs.....he continued how the national media is under-estimating LeBron James’ competitiveness: "Here's what those of us who have followed James from early in his St. Vincent-St. Mary days know: He believes he'll win every game he plays.”.....

There is no doubt that is true about James, but Pluto and other Northeast Ohio media people forget that there is a player on San Antonio who is just as competitive - Tim Duncan....Duncan is the forgotten player in this series....most people don’t realize that he already has three NBA titles and is just as competitive as King James.....

James’ 48 point Game 5 performance reminds me of the NFL game last December when the Saints played at the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football....Reggie Bush scored four touchdowns and was the talk of the nation about how that was his "coming out party"....the Saints were solid the rest of the year, but Bush never matched that Sunday Night performance...

James cannot level out, like Bush did, if the Cavs want to win the series....take away the 48 point night, and in the Cavs' three other wins in the Detroit series, James averaged 25.6 points and dished out 9.3 assists per game....is that enough to beat the Spurs??.....I don’t think so....James needs to top at least 30 a game and still maintain that 8-9 assists per game too.....

Another concern is is all the celebration in Cleveland....in yesterday’s San Antonio Express-News, an article was written how the Cavs' Eric Snow is getting nervous how some of his teammates and the city are all giddy after Saturday’s monumental win....the Cavs are ecstatic in just making The Finals while the Spurs are not content unless they win The Finals.....

The Cavs are a heavy underdog....for the series, you would have to place $50 on the Spurs just to win $10 while you can place $10 on the Cavs to win $35.....so that brings me to this question - can the Cavs win this series?....yes!!....but like I wrote earlier, the Cavs will need even more of an effort by James.....in their four wins over Detroit, only in game 5 did James dominate ala Jordan or Bird.....in this series, the Cavs will need at least two or three games like that from James -- and it is quite possible that he can do that....the talent is there....but the fact is, he will have to elevate his game to an even higher level in The Finals....

I always like to put a little money on sporting events, so that is why I took a chance with the Cavs.....for a $10 bet, it is worth a shot....even though I believe the Cavs have a chance to win this series, but I know it will probably not happen....the Spurs are a better all-around team who is not coached by someone named Flip.....Gregg Popovich has more NBA titles than Larry Brown, Lenny Wilkens, Billy Cunningham, and Red Holtzman.....I'm not trying to rain on the city of Cleveland's parade because I do like James and think he is good for the league....even though I am taking a chance by putting some money on the Cavs, I know that more than likely the Spurs will win in 5.....

Here are some links for tonight's Game 1
The Plain Dealer’s Bill Livingston writes that the time has come for LeBron James to etch his name with other NBA greats who put a stamp on their career with defining moments in The Finals....

Bill Livingston

Ohio governor Ted Strickland is jumping on the Nike bandwagon with LeBron James....even the governor is “witnessing” greatness....

Plain Dealer

Akron Beacon-Journal columnist Terry Pluto writes how the Cavs have one of the better defenses in the NBA....just ask Vince Carter.....

Terry Pluto

San Antonio Express-News columnist gives his thoughts on The Finals....if the Spurs can slow down James, don’t be surprised for a sweep....

Buck Harvey

Former Spur Sean Elliott writes that this will not be an easy series for the Spurs....and the Spurs better hope this does not go seven games....

Sean Elliott

Former Spur great George “Iceman” Gervin was at the airport to receive the NBA Trophy.....will it stay in possession of the Spurs when it is all said and done?.....

San Antonio Express-News

USA Today’s Greg Boeck writes about the links between the two teams - starting with Cavs head coach Mike Brown...

Greg Boeck

Washington Post columnist Mike Wilbon gives his thoughts....

Mike Wilbon

Chicago Tribune basketball beat writer Sam Smith gives his thoughts....

Sam Smith

Part 2 - Interview with legendary sports journalist Furman Bisher of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Today is the second part of my interview with legendary sports journalist Furman Bisher of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution....

Q8. How has sports changed over the years?
FB: You want me to write a book (laughing). That is what it will take.

Q9. Well give me a couple of things that has changed the most?
FB: The pay. It has turned what used to be very affable young men. Back then they (athletes) were not making too much more than us writers. Nowadays they (athletes) don't need you. They don't need the writer. They don't want to be bothered by you unless it is somebody with a microphone in their hand or Sports Illustrated calling. There are some who are still good though. Some of them are worthwhile and some of them are jackasses - and I don't do very well with jackasses.

Q10. Who is the biggest jackass that you dealt with?
FB: (chuckling) I don't think I can name just one.

Q11. You are still active in covering golf. What has it been like covering Tiger Woods?
FB: First place I never dealt with him except in mass interviews. He doesn't have time. One of the writers from Sports Illustrated said he did a 6,000 word story on Tiger Woods and he only got to spend 10 minutes with him. He does not give interviews unless there is a price involved unless it is something that goes to his great and glorious benefit. Frankly I don't need to interview him. If I had to, I would try. I don't go around prying or looking under rugs for scandal. I basically get what I want by watching him play golf and through press conferences. I don't need to interview him personally.

Q12. How was Jack Nicklaus to interview?
FB: Oh good grief. We have been good friends for many years. Same with (Arnold) Palmer. Arnold and I have been good friends for a long time. We all sort of came along the same pike except I am considerably older than them.

Q13. Do you think Tiger Woods will pass Jack Nicklaus for the most majors?
FB: Woods has a chance. I don't know how long his body is going to hold up though. I think he is having swing problems right now. I saw him down at the TPC and he just bombed out the first three rounds. He could not break 70 but he came back and shot a 67 but it didn't make any difference. I don't know how long his swing is going to hold up. He puts an awful lot of pressure on that skinny body of his.

Q14. In college basketball, did you ever deal with Adolph Rupp?
FB: (Laughing) Oh yeh. He had a lot of fun with me and I had some enjoyable times with him. He could scare you, but I didn't scare very easily. I went up and did a magazine story on him for Sport magazine. I sat around with him, rode out in the pasture to look at his cattle and all that sort of thing. He was rough, but he was kind.

Once again I would like to thank Mr. Bisher for his time in doing the interview....it was an honor to interview him and was much appreciated...

Rick Vach gives his thoughts as the French Open winds down

One of our tennis experts, Rick Vach, the senior writer at Tennis X.com gives us his thoughts on the last few days of the French Open......Rick has appeared on The Tennis Channel’s 'Tennis Insiders: Super Insiders', and won 'Best Hard News' story for 2005 by the United States Tennis Writers Association....

Tennis X

Q1. What happened to the Williams sisters, American's lone hope at the French Open?
Venus Williams blamed her loss on fatigue due to over-training, which jibes with people from her camp who say it is an effort to get her off the practice court. As she gets older she is going to need to train smarter. Fitness still seems to be a topic for Serena, who is far from her top fighting weight, and in the semifinal loss to Justine Henin was displaying a lot of poor footwork. One trains too much, the other too little.

Q2. How did Svetlana Kuznetsova, some people's pick to win in Paris, lose a 6-0 set in the quarterfinals?
The Russian's US Open title could unfortunately be her lone Slam win unless she checks in with a sports psychologist. Kuzy gets tight rather than playing though sticky situations like a champion, such as this week against Anna Ivanovic in her 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 loss. It certainly didn't help Kuzy's cause when world No. 1 Roger Federer unexpectedly named her as his pick to win the French, turning up the pressure dial to 11.

Q3. Who were the breakout women at the French through the first week?
Not exactly breakout material since they are Top 10, but the Serbs, Jelena Jankovic (photo - left) and Ana Ivanovic (photo - right) continue to push themselves onto the radar of even casual tennis fans with their good looks and better-looking games, moving into the French semifinals. If the WTA Tour is serious about marketing as a "world sport," these two need to be on a poster together. Jankovic will face top-seeded Justine Henin in the semis, while Ivanovic will square off against No. Maria Sharapova, which leads to the question.

Q4. Can Maria Sharapova win the French?
No. Sharapova is far from physically fit, playing on a tendonitis-ridden shoulder, and still moves on the clay like a baby deer who wandered on a frozen lake. Perhaps some year with just the right draw and some grinding practice to improve her mobility, but not this year with the bad wing. Hell of an effort though at a tournament she almost skipped with injury.

Q5. Venus Williams' camp said she played the event on a bad foot, and Serena constantly struggles with injuries. Who are the next Americans on the horizon once the Williams retire?
Lining up behind the Williams sisters currently set to make a Top 10 impact are...no one. In fact the four players currently ranked behind the Williams sisters are Meilen Tu who is approaching 30 years of age, veteran Meghann Shaughnessy who's best years are likely behind her at age 29, Lindsay Davenport who just retired, and tour veteran Laura Granville who struggles to stay in the Top 100. Ranked behind them, not for lack of trying, are the potpourri of players grinding out tournaments at the minor-league level hoping for a breakthrough, with no clear "can't miss" prospect in sight......

I want to thank Rick Vach for taking the time to give his thoughts about what is happening at Roland Garros...we will be hearing back from him in a few weeks as Wimbledon approaches...now here are today’s links about the NBA Finals and other sports news....

Branson Wright, Cavs beat writer for The Plain Dealer, writes about the relationship between the two head coaches....Cavs head coach Mike Brown once served as an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich....

Branson Wright

Express-News reporter Johnny Ludden writes how LeBron James has been getting all the glory and the commercials while Mr. Conservative Tim Duncan has just been winning titles....

Johnny Ludden

Express-News reporter Mike Finger is in Cleveland....and he writes how Cavs reserve Eric Snow is getting a little nervous about all the hoopla taking place in the city of Cleveland....

Mike Finger

CBS Sportsline writer Dennis Dodd writes how Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr spent some of his down time in the spring with actor Russell Crowe.....

Dennis Dodd

Interview with legendary sports journalist Furman Bisher of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

On Thursday, May 31st I had the opportunity to interview one of the true legends in sports journalism - Furman Bisher.....Bisher is a sports columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he once served as sports editor....he was born in 1918 in Denton, North Carolina, and is a 1938 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....Bisher was president of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association from 1974 to 1976 and president of the Football Writers Association of America in 1959 - 1960....in 1961, Time magazine named him one of the nation's five best columnists...I want to thank Mr. Bisher for his time.....today is the first of a two part interview with the legendary Furman Bisher....

Q1. How long have you been covering sports?
FB: I've covered sports a long time. I've been a journalist since 1938. I didn't start in the sports department until after the war (World War II) after spending three years in the Navy.

Q2. What makes a good journalist?
FB: First place, you need to know a good story when you see one. You got to be able to handle a story, and you got to be able to write. Those are three pretty good requirements right there.

Q3. I did some research about you and came across a reunion that took place in 2004 with your sports staff from the 1960s. It sounded like you were a good sports editor but a tough sports editor. How would you describe yourself?
FB: (Laughing) A lot of people did not like working for me because I was tough. I expected them to do the best job they could do and some reporters didn't - and when they didn't, I got on their ass. That sports staff from the 60s was an outstanding and unusual sports staff considering the pay we used to make. Three of those reporters became novelists, another became a vice-president of a large newspaper chain, and another became the editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Another became a million dollar insurance salesman. I was the sports editor. I put them together. I got them convinced as they came in there they would learn something about the newspaper business. This was probably the greatest collection of sports writers based on their future contributions to society and so on.

Q4. In the early 1960s you wrote a piece about the brutality in college football and some of it was dealing with those Alabama teams led by Bear Bryant. What was it like dealing with Bear Bryant?
FB: Before that article he was very nice. I enjoyed talking to him. I interviewed him when he was at Kentucky and when he came to Alabama. But after that Saturday Evening Post thing, I never interviewed him again. Frankly I was not interested in interviewing him and he wasn't interested in being interviewed by me. He was okay though in dealing with a newspaperman.

Q5. Over the years of covering college sports, what are some of the best college football teams?
FB: Well, the 1980 Georgia team won a national championship and you have to surely consider them an outstanding football team. The 1952 Georgia Tech football team also won a national championship. I guess the best football teams I saw were those produced by (Georgia Tech head coach) Bobby Dodd in the 1950s and later on when Vince Dooley came to the University of Georgia. He restored respectability over there (at Georgia). Auburn in 1957 had a great football team too under Shug Jordan. Duke had some good football teams too but they were never the same after the war.

Q6. Switching gears, with you being from Atlanta with Hank Aaron, what are your views about Barry Bonds and The Record?
FB: (chuckling) Until somebody proves something, it looks like he is going to pass Aaron. Major League Baseball is the worst enforcer of its own so-called rules. It has the weakest pussycat for a commissioner that you could ever imagine. He does nothing. You have (Jason) Giambi here who has basically confessed to using drugs and he is accepted back. Then you have Palmeiro and McGwire who are pariahs. There is no consistency from the commissioner's office where the enforcement should start. It's just a pathetic situation. At times I wonder about Roger Clemens. I suspect Roger Clemens to tell you the truth. The man of his age and bulk – it's sorta questionable in my mind.

Q7. What was it like dealing with Hank Aaron?
FB: Hank is great. I wrote his book with him. We have a very good relationship. I like Hank - he is a very good citizen.

Tomorrow the second part of the interview when Bisher talks about Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Adolph Rupp....

Today's links for the upcoming NBA Finals and about Michigan's upset of #1 ranked Vanderbilt in the College Baseball Regional Tournament....

The Plain Dealer’s Bill Livingston writes about how Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas made it through foot injuries and criticism to be the core of the team....

Bill Livingston

San Antonio Express-News reporter Mike Finger spent a day in Cleveland and writes how much LeBron James means to the city....

Mike Finger

Express-News columnist Richard Oliver gets former Celtic great Bill Russell’s take on San Antonio and Tim Duncan....

Richard Oliver

Express-News columnist Mike Monrow writes how former NBA head coach and current Spurs assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo is waiting for another shot to coach an NBA team....

Mike Monroe

The Michigan Wolverines baseball team upset #1 ranked Vanderbilt in the College Baseball Regional Tournament....the Wolverines now head to the Super Regionals...

Ann Arbor News

French Open thoughts from Erwin Ong of Tennis Served Fresh

Today we get back to the second week of the French Open.....our friend Erwin Ong gave us his thoughts of the first week and who he thinks is going to win...he has been following professional tennis since 1995...Erwin runs the tennis blog Tennis Served Fresh

Tennis Served Fresh

After two stressful days with barely any play (due to rain), the French Open caught up with itself and produced some wonderful match-ups. Sharapova notched a controversial three-set win against the pesky lefty Patty Schnyder (the scandal involved a Sharapova serve that should have been replayed), Federer earned his 3-set win against Youzhny (who might have put up a better fight had he not endured a marathon match against Juan Carlos Ferrero in the previous round), and Safarova took Amelie Mauresmo out of the running.

Speakling of the French, they again buckled this year. Gael Monfils, Richard Gasquet, Paul-Henri Mathieu are all too young and have yet to harness their talent.

In the clothing sponsorship department, Nike did the best job outfitting their players, with Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova getting their own dresses; Serena in a pink and purple number and Maria in an aqua tulle dress. Hantuchova and Safarova looked great in the Sphere tank and skort. Lacoste, the tournament's main clothing sponsor, didn't have much of a chance to show off its clothes on Gasquet and Roddick since both crashed out early. But their standard issue men's uniform (an orange and white outfit that most of the French players wore) could be seen in many early matches. Reebok put Mauresmo in a purple tank, the best we've seen her in a while. And Airness, another French clothier, continues its love affair with Nikolay Davydenko. I suspect they'll have a bigger stake in Roland Garros in the coming years.

For the men, this is how the coming week will play out: To get to the quartefinals, I expect Andreev to beat Bagdhatis, Moya to trump Bjorkman, Hewitt will lose to Nadal (as much as I'm gunning for the Australian), and Djokovic will be well-rested enough to overcome Verdasco. The top half is already set: Federer vs. Robredo and Davydenko vs. Canas. The last 4 will be Federer vs. Canas and Djokovic vs. Nadal. It'll be Nadal vs. Canas in the final, with Nadal taking it all.

The women's quarterfinals are set: Justine plays Serena (Serena will win), Jankovic will beat Vaidisova, Kuznetsova will win over Ivanovic, and Sharapova will win the matchup against fellow Russian Chakvetadze. Sharapova will beat Kuznetsova, and Serena will beat Jankovic. Serena will win the championship.

I want to thank Erwin for this time and we will hear back from him in a couple of weeks with his Wimbledon preview.....Also, there has been a change in the Furman Bisher interview.....originally it was going to run on Wednesday.....however, due to the length of the interview, it is now a two-part series which will begin tomorrow....

Throughout the NBA Finals, I will be providing daily links from the Spurs and Cavs camps....
The Spurs know they are the “bad boys” of this NBA Finals as the nation will be rooting for LeBron James.....

San Antonio Express-News

There are links between the two teams....Cavs coach Mike Brown coached Tony Parker is a summer league....and the Cavs organization followed the Spurs blueprint for success

San Antonio Express-News

Spurs defensive wiz Bruce Bowen is tired of hearing that LeBron James is the next Michael Jordan.....he thinks it is unfair to James.....

San Antonio Express-News

Who is hot shooting guard Daniel Gibson?.....yes he played ball at the University of Texas, but where has he been all season?.....

The Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Cavs are still basking in the glory of making the NBA Finals.....is it real?....

The Cleveland Plain Dealer

According to columnist Terry Pluto, LeBron James is the savior in Cleveland and the new face of the NBA....

Akron Beacon-Journal