Happy Birthday Mike Tyson

Happy 43rd Birthday Mike Tyson

Note - I will leaving today for a conference in Cincinnati...if the weather holds up I'll be going to the Cincinnati Reds-Arizona Diamondback game tonight...Stiles Points will be back on Friday, July 3rd - hopefully with some photos...

Forbes Field in Pittsburgh - 100th anniversary

It's been gone for quite a while, but the City of Pittsburgh is still celebrating its greatest sports facility - Forbes Field and its 100th anniversary...June 30, 1909 the Pirates played the first game at Forbes Field...Robert Dvorchak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes a well researched history of the famed ballpark... Robert Dvorchak - Forbes Field

Here are a few interesting facts about Forbes Field:
- It featured lavatories specifically designated for women
- There were public telephones
- An underground parking garage
- Ramps instead of steps

Here is a real throwback, the ballpark was named after a British general, not some internet site or corporate sponsor... "The place was named after John Forbes, the British general whose forces built a road through the Pennsylvania wilderness to evict the French from Fort Duquesne in 1758. In his after-action report, the general called it "Pittsbourgh," and the name stuck even if the spelling didn't."

- Tenants: Pittsburgh Pirates (NL 1909-70); Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers (NFL 1933-63); University of Pittsburgh (football 1909-24); Homestead Grays (Negro National League 1939-48); also Duquesne, Carnegie Tech and Pitt freshman football.

- Groundbreaking: March 1, 1909
- First National League game: June 30, 1909 (Cubs 3, Pirates 2)
- First NFL game: September 20, 1933 (NY Giants 23, Pirates 2)
- Last NFL game: December 1, 1963 (Eagles 20, Steelers 20)
- Last National League game: June 28, 1970 (Pirates 4, Cubs 1)
- Demolished: July 28, 1971
- Baseball capacity: 25,000 (1909); 41,000 (1925); 33,537 (1939); 34,249 (1953); 35,000 (1960)
- Surface: Natural grass

- Architect: Osborn Engineering
- Builder: Nicole Construction Company
- Owners: Pittsburgh Pirates (1909-57); University of Pittsburgh (1958-71)
- Cost: $2 million (1909)

Dimensions:
- LF foul line: 360 ft (1909), 365 ft (1930), 335 ft (1947 Greenberg Garden/Kiner's Korner), 365 ft (1954)
- LF alley: 406 ft (1926)
- Deep left-centerfield corner: 462 ft (1909), 457 ft (1930)
- Center field: 442 ft (1926), 435 ft (1930); 436 ft (1946)
- Right-center at corner: 408 ft (1926)
- Short right-center: 375 ft (1925)
- RF foul line: 376 ft (1909), 300 ft (1925)
- Home plate to backstop: 110 ft (1909), 84 ft (1938), 75 ft (1959)

Donald Fehr is retiring and that is good for baseball

Random Thoughts

- MLB union chief Donald Fehr is retiring - that is good for baseball...Fehr's duty to protect baseball players no matter what has hurt the game of baseball...his stubborn demeanor has caused player salaries to go through the roof as an average fan can no longer go to a baseball game with their family unless they unload over $200...

- One thing, it took forever, but at least Fehr agreed to drug testing...the sick part is that former union czar Marvin Miller ripped Fehr for agreeing to drug testing...Miller was quoted earlier this year as saying that if he was now the union chief, he would negotiate drug testing out of the next collective bargaining...to me, Marvin Miller and Donald Fehr were the worst two things to happen to baseball...Miller is (and was) a stubborn individual who did not want to budge from his position...and his recent comment about drug testing shows why Miller is not, and hopefully will never make it to the Baseball Hall of Fame...

- Who is Stephanie Pratt and why should I care if she is bulimic?...

- Why do Americans care about Gosselins?...so they are getting a divorce, who the freak cares!?!?!?!...

- Kate Gosselin is a MILF... (photo, right)

- Kellogg's has a new breakfast bar that is Cinnabon flavored...only 4.5 grams of fat...

- If Manny Ramirez is allowed to workout in the minor leagues to prepare for his return to the Dodgers while still on suspension, why didn't the Dodgers just send him to the minors for 50 days instead?...he should not be allowed to play any professional baseball for those 50 days...

- All male sports fans love Erin Andrews...but who the hell is dating her?...she is 31-years-old and not married but someone has to be tapping that????...WHO THOUGH?!?!?!?...

- Whatever happened to Gayle Gardner?...

- This Facebook is a neat thing...just got on it the other day...technology is great...

- This is the time of year for eating big black cherries and juicy soft peaches...

- I have to read The Wizard of Oz in order to prepare lesson plans for my afterschool program...

- I see government waste everyday...

- Could Rafael Septien still kick a 30-yard field goal?...

The King of Pop is Dead - the day the music stopped

Farrah Fawcett 1947-2009

Farrah Fawcett died today at the age of 62...the following was lifted from the internet about Farrah's early years...

She was born Feb. 2, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, she was named Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett by her mother, who said she added the Farrah because it sounded good with Fawcett. She was less than a month old when she underwent surgery to remove a digestive tract tumor with which she was born.

After attending Roman Catholic grade school and W.B. Ray High School, Fawcett enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. Fellow students voted her one of the 10 most beautiful people on the campus and her photos were eventually spotted by movie publicist David Mirisch, who suggested she pursue a film career. After overcoming her parents’ objections, she agreed.

Soon she was appearing in such TV shows as “That Girl,” “The Flying Nun,” “I Dream of Jeannie” and “The Partridge Family.”

Phillip Wellman Douche Bag Award

This video has been seen many times over the last two years...on June 1, 2007, Phillip Wellman, manager of the Mississippi Braves of the Southern League, made a complete ass of himself and the game of baseball by putting on an infantile incident while arguing with the umpires...the topper was when he crawled on the ground and tossed the resin bag like a grenade toward the homeplate umpire...if I was that umpire I would have met Wellman in the parking lot after the game and shoved that resin bag up his ass for trying to show me up...

I still cannot believe he was given only a three game suspension...being that he was the manager a minor league team, he should have received at least 20 games...imagine if an athlete like Terrell Owens did that - people would be calling for his head...maybe the umpires did make a bad call, but they did not need to be treated that way by Wellman...I sure he would be ticked if someone made one of his players look like an ass, the same way he tried to make the umpires look that way...

Some may think his tirade was funny, but I think it was stupid, unprofessional, and self-centered...I can't believe ESPN ranked it as the best sports tirade of all-time...Wellman's antics has led me to start the Phillip Wellman Douche Bag Award...every so often Stiles Points will be presenting the Wellman Douche Bag Award to people who either act or are simply a douche bag...

So Phil, this Massengill's for you!!!...

Tyler Hansbrough will be a solid NBA player

The NBA Draft is coming up and it is a lock that the Los Angeles Clippers will take Oklahoma stud Blake Griffin...usually I don't follow the NBA Draft, but I am intrigued by one player - Tyler Hansbrough...

Yeh, yeh, I know 96.4% of the country hates this kid and thinks he will be a flop and out of the NBA within 3 years...but I think Hansbrough has the toughness and a nice outside shot to hang in the league for a while...especially if he gets with the right team...

Hansbrough is not going to be the star of any team...but I could see him being a Bill Laimbeer-type player who was tough, had a good outside shot, was a decent rebounder, and a solid free throw shooter...and most of all, the opposition hated Laimbeer because he was the enforcer...

I notice that ESPN has Hansbrough going at #20 to Utah...another publication had him going #24 to Portland...Chad Ford for ESPN.com had this about Hansbrough:

Positives
- A warrior in the paint
- Outworks everyone for rebound and second-chance putbacks
- Strong, physical player who isn't afraid to do the dirty work
- Does a great job of getting to the line
- Decent free-throw shooter for a big man
- Turning himself into a polished scorer

Negatives
- Not an explosive athlete
- Plays beneath the rim
- Not the elite rebounder he should be
- Struggles to score against long, athletic defenders
- Limited upside

June 4 Update: For all of you who wrote me all season furious that I didn't have Tyler Hansbrough in my mock draft lottery -- now's the time to yell, "I told you so!" I think it's time to declare Hansbrough the big winner of the 2009 NBA draft combine. Although he was what you would expect him to be in the skills portion of the combine, he came out better than expected in the measurements and strength and agility testing.

My thoughts - I believe Hansbrough will go sooner than the experts think...don't be surprised if he goes #12 to Charlotte or #13 to Indiana...if for some reason he slides, the perfect team for him would be the Lakers...he would add some toughness in the post...also, the kid is a hustler...he will run through a freaking wall for a rebound...and he would be a luxury for the Lakers ala Kurt Rambis...

Another good fit for him would be the New York Knicks...now I am not saying the Knicks should take him at the #8 spot, however, if Hansbrough is still there at say #15, the Knicks should works some deal to draft him...the Knicks fans would love this kid and he would be the enforcer when the Knicks sign either LeBron or D-Wade after next season...honestly, I would want him on my team...

Tim Tebow: the greatest of all-time?

Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun was nice enough to respond to the "Five Good Questions" segment pertaining to Florida All-American quarterback Tim Tebow...I want to thank Pat for taking the time...

Tim Tebow File
Senior, quarterback, 6'3", 240 lbs.
Hometown - Jacksonville, Florida
2008 - 2,746 yards, 30 TDs, 4 Ints - 89 carries, 469 yards, 8 TDS
2007 - 3,286 yards, 32 TDs, 6 Ints - 210 carries, 895 yards, 23 TDs
2006 - 358 yards, 5 TDs, 1 Ints - 176 carries, 673 yards, 12 TDs

Q1. I assume Tebow would make this list. Therefore, who are your five all-time greatest Florida Gators - in order?
A. Tim Tebow, Danny Wuerffel, Steve Spurrier, Wilbur Marshall, Emmitt Smith

Q2. What is Tebow like off the field? He comes across as being a nice guy who cares about helping people. Is that for real or just a front?
A. Oh, it's real. Tim likes to have fun like any college kid but the work he does is truly amazing. I admire how he's able to juggle everything. And he's a funny guy.

Q3. What makes Tebow special compared to other great college quarterbacks?
A. There has never been one who is a five tool player. You hear that expression in baseball but it works here. 1. power running 2. open field running 3. passing with accuracy 4. leadership 5. toughness

Q4. In your opinion, what do you see Tebow doing in the NFL? Will he be a first round selection?
A. That's the big question. He'll play somewhere and I think he'll be a quarterback. but I don't see him being a starter. I think someone will take a chance on him in the first round

Q5. Last question, where would you rank Tebow among the greats in college football?
A. It all depends on how he finishes. Right now, he'd be in my top 10. Herschel (Walker) is still the best I saw but if Tebow has another big year and Florida is in the National Championship, I'd have to change my mind.

Jahvid Best: the nation's best running back?

An old favorite of Stiles Points is back - "Five Good Questions with . . . "...with college football coming on fast, Jonathan Okanes of The Oakland Tribune was kind enough to respond about one of the best secret weapons in college football - Cal running back Jahvid Best...Okanes covers the Golden Bears for The Trib...I want to thank him for taking the time to respond...

Jahvid Best File
Junior, Tailback, 5'10", 195 lbs.
Hometown - Vallejo, CA
2008 - 194 carries, 1,580 yards, 15 TDs
Best game - Dec 6, 2008 vs. Washington - 19 carries/311 yards/4 TDs/84-yard TD run

2008 - Led the Pac-10 and ranked third in the country in rushing, averaging 131.67 ypg ... his 8.1 yards per carry was the best of any player in the FBS with at least 125 rushes on the year, as well as a school record

Q1. Cal has had some strong running backs over the past few years, such as J.J. Arrington and Marshawn Lynch, how does Best compare to those backs?
A. The other backs don't have the flat-out breakway speed that Best does. Lynch was a rare combination of size, strength and athleticism. Best certainly doesn't have the ability to bruise defenses like Lynch did. But none of the other backs are a threat to go the distance as much as Best.

Q2. What are Best's strengths? His weaknesses?
A. His strenghs definitely lie in his speed. Get him in space and it will almost always be a big play. He also can make defenders miss in the open field. His weakness so far has been durability. He missed the final two games of his freshman season with an injury and missed one game and parts of a few others last year with an assortment of ailments.

Q3. How is Best off the field? Does he have an attitude? Is he a team leader?
A. Best has a terrific attitude off the field. He's very humble and always prefers talking about his teammates more than himself. He's not particularly outgoing, but he has said he wants to be more of a leader this season.

Q4. What does Best have to do in order to get the attention of the east coast sports writers?
A. Cal won't be on national TV much, so it will be hard for him. The biggest thing will be if Cal has a good year and beats USC.

Q5. What are your predictions for Best this coming season?
A. Best is out to prove he can stay healthy. If he does, I think he'll lead the nation in rushing. But the Heisman talk is pretty unrealistic. The three finalists from last year are back and rarely does a West Coast player not on USC get much consideration.

Neda - the face of a revolution in Iran

The protesting in Iran now has a face - Neda...

Neda, a 27-year-old Iranian woman, along with her father, walked in protest down Karegar Avenue in the city of Tehran...they were peacefully participating in the protests against the 2009 Iranian election when she was shot by members of the Iranian Basij volunteer militia...

As she was dying, the name "Neda" can be heard several times on the video clip, presumably by her father...it has been reported that he can be heard saying (in Farsi) "Neda, don't be afraid. Neda, don't be afraid. [obscured by others yelling] Neda, stay with me. Neda stay with me!"...

This 37 second video may change the world...please pass this on...God Bless Neda...

Happy Father's Day

Stiles Points want to wish all the dads a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY...moms get all the glory but the dads are the backbone of a family...so Happy Father's Day!!!!

Lucy Pinder is not Tim Tebow's girlfriend

Yesterday I ran a photo of a chick with some huge cans who I thought was Tim Tebow's girlfriend...G$ from The Money Shot straightened my ass out by correctly stating this chick was (and this is a direct quote), ". . . British whore, Lucy Pinder."

I did some research on this "British whore" and found out she was born December 20, 1983 which makes her 25 years old...she is "a glamour model noted for her large, natural breasts, which have been voted as being "the most beautiful all-natural pair in Britain."...well, here are some more photos of Pinder...enjoy...

Tim Tebow's Girlfriend

Serious question - is this chick really Tim Tebow's girlfriend?...there is another photo of her with Tebow...but you know how things get on the internet - sometimes people make shit up...I'd appreciate if someone can respond to my question...whether she is or she isn't, the fact is that this chick has incredible gallon cans...there is no doubt this poor girl suffers from severe back pain after lugging those jugs around all day...

Tim Tebow and Jahvid Best - find out more about them

Coming next week, "Five Good Questions . . . " segment is coming back...on Monday, I will have my interview with Jonathan Okanes from The Oakland Tribune as he discusses Cal running back Jahvid Best....on Tuesday, Pat Dooley from the Gainesville Sun responds to questions about Florida All-American and all-around quarterback Tim Tebow...

Michael Ynoa the Dominican wiz is shutdown by the Oakland Athletics

July 2 is the first day that Major League Baseball teams can sign international players...the top player this year is the 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Miguel Angel Sano...it has been reported that the Pittsburgh Pirates are ready to offer Sano a $3 million signing bonus...

Last year the Oakland A's set the standard by giving a $4.25 million bonus to Michael Ynoa (Inoa)...so what has Inoa been up to in the minors?...

First off, there is some confusion with his name...his real name is Michel Ynoa, but the Athletics "Americanized" his first name to be Michael...as far as his last name goes...through a mix-up or just plain poor hand writing, the press reported that his name began with an "I"...but this past February Ynoa got it straightened out...

Ynoa is a 6'7", 17-year-old pitcher from the Dominican Republic...Ynoa was being offered by the Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Yankees...however he signed with the Athletics, even though they offered him less money, because of how they handle pitchers...

The Washington Nationals should be aware of Ynoa before they cave into the ridiculous demands of supposed pitching phenom Stephen Strasberg...this past week the Athletics shut down Ynoa indefinitely after he complained of elbow soreness...Ynoa had been doing a throwing program at the Athletics minor-league complex in Phoenix...the team was hoping he would pitch in the Arizona Rookie League this summer...

The Athletics were hoping Ynoa would be able to pitch in the Majors in 2011...

Fisherman falls short on record after catching a big tuna that is not Parcells

Ed Zieralski of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes about a fisherman who caught a 361.8 pound yellowfin tuna, but still fell short of breaking the world tuna record... "“Four hundred, 400, 400,” Ashford yelled, leading a crowd chant and holding four fingers aloft for the crowd to see. They chanted with him and cheered as Cates hoisted the yellowfin onto the digital scale. But as happens far too often with these big tuna, the catch didn't come close to expectations. Once up on the scale, it settled at 361.8 pounds, nearly 27 pounds shy of Wiesenhutter's all-tackle record." ...

Ed Zieralski

Texting championship held in NYC

You've heard of spelling bees, hot dog eating contests, but now you can add texting contests...yep, I found an article in the Gainesville newspaper about some kid who is competing at Madison Square Garden in the third annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship...what has this world come to?...

Tatiana Gonzalez

Derek Tatsuno and Mike Loynd: College baseball's only 20 game winning pitchers

I was reading through The New York Times from about two weeks ago when I came across an interesting fact...

There have only been two 20-game winning pitchers in NCAA history...the first was Derek Tatsuno (photo, right) of the 1979 Hawaii Rainbows who went 20-1 with a 1.86 ERA...in his 3 years at Hawaii he posted a 40-6 mark with 541 strikeouts...however, many of those strikeouts came against lower echelon competition such as DeVry Institute and Whittier College...he was a 1st round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the January 1982 regular phase draft...Tatsuno never made it to The Show...in 1982 he played for the Brewers' AA affiliate, the El Paso Diablos of the Texas League, going 7-2 with a 6.42 ERA and walking more than a batter an inning...he bounced around the minors until 1987...

Richard W. Johnston of Sports Illustrated did a feature story on Tatsuno in the April 30, 1979 edition of the magazine...

Richard W. Johnston article

The other 20-game winner was Mike Loynd of the 1986 Florida State Seminoles who went 20-3 with a 2.45 ERA...Loynd was a college stud as he was named the winner of the 1986 Golden Spikes Award which is the Heisman Trophy of college baseball...Loynd helped Florida State get to the College World Series...he was drafted by the Texas Rangers and was called up to the big leagues in less than two months...with the Rangers in a pennant race, Bobby Valentine gave the ball to Loynd as he won his first start 6-3 over the Cleveland Indians...

Loynd started his career 2-0 which would be his only highlight...soon thereafter, he began to struggle and within two years he found himself traded to the Houston Astros...he spent the next seven seasons in the minor league organizations of the Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves before ending his career with the West Palm Beach Expos of the Florida State League in 1994...Loynd finished his brief career with a 3-7 mark and 2 saves...

Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto writes about former Plain Dealer sports reporter Bill Nichols who died on Saturday

Terry Pluto of The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer writes about former Plain Dealer sports reporter Bill Nichols (photo, right) who died on Saturday... "Nichols spent 30 years at The Plain Dealer. He had some heart problems, but was well enough to have lunch with former Plain Dealer writers Eddie Dwyer and Dick Zunt on Friday at the Hometown Buffet in Parma. He died early Saturday morning at his home in Rocky River." ...

Terry Pluto

Washington Nationals quietly sign Drew Storen from Stanford - their other first round pick

As the Washington Nationals sweat it out in dealing with first pick Stephen Strasberg and his agent Scott Boras, they quietly signed their other first round pick Drew Storen to a $1.6 million signing bonus...

Storen was selected just nine picks after Strasberg...the 6'2" righthanded pitcher from Stanford went 7-1 with seven saves and a 3.80 ERA in 28 appearances for the Cardinal...in 42 2/3 innings of relief work, he tallied 66 strikeouts (13.9 strikeouts per nine innings) in his two years at Stanford, Storen had a combined 12-4 mark with 15 saves and a 3.64 ERA in 59 appearances...

Storen will start his professional career at Class A Hagerstown and wear No. 26...he is being groomed to be a closer...

John Calipari - an in-depth feature by Gerry Dulac

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes an in-depth story on Pittsburgh native and new Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari... "At age 50, he has ascended to the one program he long desired to oversee, a program whose fan base encompasses the entire state, border to border, and whose passion runs deeper than perhaps any other college sports program in the country. Kentucky is to college basketball what Notre Dame is to college football -- storied, tradition-rich, mystical. Or, as Calipari said, "Always one season away from where you were." ...

Gerry Dulac

Los Angeles Lakers - 15 time champions!!!

CHAMPION AGAIN

Jeanie Buss is the reason Phil Jackson is coaching the Lakers

Mike Wise of The Washington Post writes how Jeanie Buss is the one responsible for bringing the Lakers on the brink of another NBA title... "Wait. So, if Phil wasn't in love with Jeanie Buss, the daughter of owner Jerry Buss, a Lakers executive and one half of America's most powerful sporting couple, there is no Siddhartha presence in the locker room? No closing in on a 10th NBA coaching title -- one more than Auerbach's nine with the Boston Celtics?" ...

Mike Wise

Arizona State's 1-2 punch

Ted Miller of ESPN.com writes about Arizona State's potent 1-2 punch on the mound... "We should pause now and mention that these two have combined for a 25-2 record this season and are the nation's best one-two punch of starting pitchers. It's not clear yet who will start against North Carolina on Sunday in the Sun Devils' CWS opener (ESPN, 2 p.m. ET)." ...

Ted Miller

Alan Trubow of the Austin Statesman writes about the Texas Longhorns sparkplug who bats ninth... "The Longhorns, who head to Omaha tomorrow for the College World Series, like seeing that emotion out of the sophomore. While he looks quite stoic most of the time on the field, it's his fire, passion and competitiveness that make Rowe the player he is." ...

Alan Trubow

Great grandmother deserved to be tasered by officer

Most people have seen the video below of the 72-year-old great grandmother who was tasered by an officer in Texas...when I first heard about the incident, I was disgusted...I thought it was another law enforcement officer who is bullying a person...then I saw the video...

This old bag deserved to get tasered...just because you are old, that does not give you the right to be an asshole and not listen to the officer...if she would have signed the ticket, as she was politely told to do, this never would have happened...

If I was that officer I would have tasered this old lying bitch another one or two times...

Obama Girl plays Wii Tennis

NBA Finals - Player Introductions

This is how player introductions should be in the NBA Finals...plain and simple without all the fireworks and crap...this was from the 1985 Finals between the Lakers and Celtics...

Cornrows are a thing of the past?

- Yesterday I had a post criticizing LeBron James for not showing sportsmanship after losing to the Orlando Magic...I was not the only one who noticed as the entire media has piled on James for this slight...James said he was not wrong for acting like a poor sport...oh well, maybe one day he will "get it"...otherwise, the national media needs to let this go and move on to another topic...

- I noticed this past season that Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony got rid of the cornrows...I am glad they have decided to go back to the old fashion tight cut hair style...I have never been a fan of cornrows even though many African-Americans wear it as part of their African heritage...this has nothing to do with race...I just like athletes with well groomed hair...just as I am not a fan of Pau Gasol and that mop he dons...

- 37 runs!!!...my gosh, Ohio State gave up 37 runs to Florida State in their NCAA Tournament game on Sunday...WTF!!!...

- Check out the 1:24 clip of the fight between Evgeni Malkin and Henrick Zetterberg at the end of Game Two of the Stanley Cup Finals...

LeBron really upset after loss

Saturday's loss to the Orlando Magic was a very bitter pill for the Cleveland Cavaliers to swallow and especially for league MVP LeBron James...when a team is the top seed and expected to make at least the NBA Finals, James has every right to be disappointed, pissed, angry, etc...

But James must also learn how to accept defeat in a better way...when the clock finally hit zero on Saturday, I noticed that James immediately walked off the court without congratulating or acknowledging the Orlando Magic...James played on this year's gold medal winning Olympic team with Orlando's Dwight Howard...even a simple nod to Howard would have been acceptable...

If my memory serves me well, I believe James did the same thing after losing Game 7 to Boston in last year's Conference Semi-finals...he walked off the court without acknowledging the Celtics...

One of the best traditions takes place in the NHL when a series is over...both teams line-up at center ice and shake each others hands...it is one of the most stirring moments in sports...even if the series was brutal with many fights, both teams acknowledge each other when the battle is over...

On Saturday, James walked to the tunnel, showered, dressed, and went on the team bus without addressing the media...he was out-of-line with this poor display of sportsmanship and disrespect to the media...

James wants to be the face of the NBA, but with that position, he has to take the good with the bad...a few weeks back, James was more than willing to talk with the media after receiving the league MVP or after he made the winning shot in Game Two...

I could understand James' reaction if the Cavs lost because of a controversial call that cost them the game...but the fact remains, Orlando was the better team than the Cavs in this series and flat-out dominated them in Game Six...

James needs to take a lesson from former Philadelphia Phillies closer Mitch Williams...after giving up a World Series winning homer to Toronto's Joe Carter, Williams stood next to his locker and answered every single question the media had...

I also remember the professionalism of former Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson...after losing the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons then a few years later to the Chicago Bulls, Magic entered the victorious visitors locker room and congratulated his opponents...Magic wanted to win just as bad as anyone else, but when the battle was over, he had the wisdom to do the right thing...

James played hard and fought like a true warrior in this series...he was not to blame for the Cavs demise...he is a good person and an elite player...but he needs to handle defeat a little better...no one likes to lose, but when it does happen, a true professional knows how to handle it...

Orlando won both games over the Lakers this season

The Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers played twice this year with the Magic winning both games...

December 20th - Magic 106 Lakers 103


January 16 - Magic 109 Lakers 103

Penguins-Red Wings - Let's get it on!

It's a rematch from last year's Stanley Cup Finals when the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games...the Red Wings are once again favored in the series...if you believe Detroit is going to win the series, you would have to put down $15.50 to win $10.00...if the Penguins are your choice, you can lay down $10.00 to win $12.50...my money is going on the Penguins...

It all starts Saturday night on NBC...so let's get it on...

John Buccigross of ESPN.com goes over 10 factors that will determine this year's winner... "The Penguins' confidence is probably sky-high because they are young and appear to be the healthier team. And the Stanley Cup schedule favors youth and health. Games 1 and 2 are on back-to-back days to appease an American television network that doesn't pay a rights fee." ...

John Buccigross

Michael Farber of SI.com writes about the strange schedule for the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals... "The year is 1955. Canadiens fans riot outside the Forum when NHL President Clarence Campbell suspends Maurice Richard. Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white person. The Mickey Mouse Club premiers on ABC-TV. The NHL holds back-to-back games during the Detroit-Montreal Stanley Cup Final." ...

Michael Farber

Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press writes how the Red Wings need to thank Darren Helm... "The puck just there? Inches from the goal? An open net? All Darren Helm had to do was swing?" ...

Mitch Albom

Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes how Detroit won without the Capital C... "They didn’t have their C, were running out of A’s and sustained an even further depleted D when Jonathan Ericsson underwent an emergency appendectomy Wednesday after suffering abdominal pains following the Wings’ morning skate." ...

Drew Sharp

Zamboni is the word when it comes to cleaning ice

John Branch of The New York Times wrote an interesting article about the Zamboni - the ice resurfacing machine that is seen at ice rinks...the Zamboni is family owned and is located just outside of Los Angeles... "And, in this day, it may be comforting to know that Frank J. Zamboni & Company, still family owned and operated, is not asking for a government bailout." ...

John Branch

The Chosen One - Sonia Sotomayor

Don't count the Cavs out just yet

With the Memorial Day weekend over, here are a few thoughts that I had while off from work for a few days:

- Don't count the Cavs out against Orlando...a win tonight in Game 4 evens the series at 2 and gives the Cavs home court advantage once again...

- Even if the Cavs lose and find themselves on the short-end of a 3-1 series mark, I still believe they are capable of winning the series...whenever a team has a player the caliber of LeBron James, there is always a chance to win...

- Game 3 was over-officiated...whenever I see Joey Crawford officiating a game, I know there will be a lot of ticky tack fouls called...

- The Cavalier fans should not complain about fouls...quite often LeBron gets the benefit of the doubt when the whistle blows...that just shows that LeBron is one of the elite players in the game...all the great ones, from Bird to Magic to Michael, got this edge from the officials...

- LeBron's winning shot in Game 2 was reminiscent of something Larry Bird would do...

- The first college football preview books are on the newsstand...Athlon released its conference preview books late last week...

- If you are a fan of Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, and other big time powers, check out Maple Street Press and their preview books that are dedicated specifically for each team...each book contains quality writing and a plethora of stories...here is the link Maple Street Press

- It's hard to believe David Ortiz has only 1 homerun through Memorial Day...Big Papi hasn't just taken a dive, he has fallen completely off the table and cannot get up...

- What about the Indians last night...down 10-0, the Tribe pulled a LeBron and scored 7 runs in the bottom of the ninth and won 11-10...

- Did you Pepsi is bringing back, for a limited time, Pepsi-Cola that is made with natural sugar...I thought all that sugar was bad for you???...

The real reason for Memorial Day

Another Memorial Day Observance is upon us...with nice weather happening in the midwest, people are barbecuing and having family gatherings...but the main purpose of Memorial Day is to honor those who have given their life in serving our country...

We will see pictures of President Obama at Arlington National Cemetery...however, very few see photos of American cemeteries abroad in which thousands of Americans are buried...their bodies never came back to American soil...below are just a few snippets of those cemeteries...

God Bless America...

Cambridge, England - 3,812 of our military dead



Meuse-Argonne - 14,246 of our military dead


The American Cemetery at Ardennes, Belgium - 5,329 of our military dead


Luxembourg - 5,076 of our military dead

Ryan Church fails to tag third base - is called out

Stephen Strasburg - San Diego State phenom

Patricia Kara - one hot case opener

I never watched "Deal or No Deal" until their syndicated 30 minutes show...I knew they had hot models who opened cases, but I never noticed anyone in particular until I saw Patricia Kara...on the one hour show, she usually is with case #9...what I like about her is that she is not some 20 something ditzy chick...she is freakin 37-years-old!!!...she is MILF material (even though she doesn't have kids)...as an added plus, she is Greek, just like me...her real name is Panayota Karamouzis...she can open my case anytime she wants...

Happy Birthday Tina Fey

HAPPY 39TH BIRTHDAY TINA FEY

Miguel Angel Sano, the 16-year-old Dominican who can make or break the Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a decision to make that will impact their future...should they sign Dominican wiz Miguel Angel Sano to a rich contract...he is described as Albert Pujols in Hanley Ramirez's body...however, Sano is only 16-years-old...Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Dejan Kovacevic writes about the Pirates dilemma...

The Pirates' pursuit of Miguel Angel Sano, an elite 16-year-old Dominican prospect who projects to play right field, is fraught with risk whether they sign him or not.

Looking at three risks from each side, let us start with those that come with signing him:

• Most obvious is money. Sano could command a bonus of $4 million or more, which is 10 times greater than the Pirates' record investment in the region, the $400,000 paid to Venezuelan outfielder Exicardo Cayones last year. Few things are less predictable in sports than a 16-year-old baseball player, and it is far from certain Sano would ever see Pittsburgh.

• An excessive bonus could tick off the rest of Major League Baseball, just as the Oakland Athletics did last year with their record $4.25 million bonus for Dominican pitcher Michael Inoa. The draft and Latin American systems operate mostly through unwritten, unspoken agreements that teams should not throw out the entire pay scale, and low spenders such as the Pirates benefit from that more than anyone.

• The Pirates spent $9.8 million on the draft, $2 million on Latin America last year., each a franchise record. If they shift too much draft money to Latin America, they could damage their draft class, something that should be a great priority. Unless, of course, ownership adds money to the overall pool.

Among the risks of not signing Sano:

• The Pirates' talent evaluators, who are effusive in their praise of Sano's potential, could become dispirited. Signing talent in Latin America is much like recruiting college athletes in the United States. Connections are made, including with the athletes' families, and countless hours are invested beyond simply watching the players play. The Pirates have forged a bond with Sano, his family and his representatives, but none of that will matter without a check.

• The Pirates will stop getting special tryouts in the Dominican. The system on the island is that teams known to sign elite talent will get exclusive looks at top players. Such was the case when the Pirates' brass -- already in the country because of the opening of the team's new academy -- watched Sano and 14 other players in a workout late last month. Other teams have been denied such access, and that could happen to the Pirates, too, if they never step up beyond $400,000.

• If Sano really does become "Albert Pujols in Hanley Ramirez's body," as agent Rob Plummer described his potential the other day, the Pirates will regret it for years to come should it take place in another uniform and he could have been had for the same price it took to sign free-agent bench players Eric Hinske and Ramon Vazquez.

The Forum in Inglewood has not changed after all these years

Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times writes about what happened to the old Forum in Inglewood... "Actually, the doors have swung open quite often in the last 10 years, not only for religious services but also for concerts, video shoots, rehearsals and whatever else the owner can book into it, including USC and high school basketball games. Even the Lakers are exploring the possibility of returning to the Forum -- for an exhibition game in October. Their former center, Shaquille O'Neal, participated in graduation ceremonies at the Forum when he received his MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2005." ...

Jerry Crowe

College football writer Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution released his Spring Top 25 for the 2009 football season... "We did our RE (Ridiculously Early) Top 25 back in January, just hours after Florida had won the BCS national championship. Now we’re done with spring practice and June will be here before we know it. So let’s do our Spring Top 25, which should give us enough to argue about between now and two-a-days in August." ...

Tony Barnhart

Paul Dougherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes how the Cincinnati Bearcats dynamic coach Brian Kelly somehow finds time for everyone... "One BK is dropping the puck at a Cyclones game. The other is 100 miles away, speaking to a group of minority coaches in Indianapolis. I swear I heard Kelly was teeing it up at Shaker Run not 15 minutes after I saw him running on the treadmill on campus. The man is so scheduled up, he doesn’t need a Day Timer. He needs a stopwatch. If it’s 12:30 on Tuesday, this must be the Salvation Army luncheon." ...

Paul Daugherty

Jeff Rabjohns of the Indianapolis Star writes how the basketball recruiting battle between Purdue and Indiana has heated up again... "This comes at a critical juncture for both schools. If Purdue lands these recruits, it could go from seasons like last year's when it reached the Sweet Sixteen to making a Final Four push. If IU wins, it could rebound quickly from the decimation of the Kelvin Sampson era." ...

Jeff Rabjohns

Sonia Sotomayor played key role in ending Major League Baseball strike in 1995

Neil A. Lewis of The New York Times writes how possible Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor played a key role in ending the baseball strike in 1995... "After play resumed, The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that by saving the season, Judge Sotomayor joined forever the ranks of Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson and Ted Williams. The Chicago Sun-Times said she “delivered a wicked fastball” to baseball owners and emerged as one of the most inspiring figures in the history of the sport." ...

Neil A. Lewis

Candace Parker gives birth to baby girl

This was reported by the Associated Press...
Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker has given birth to a baby girl.

It is the first child for the WNBA's reigning MVP and rookie of the year and husband Shelden Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Goodwin Sports Management announced the baby girl was born in Los Angeles on Wednesday. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 20 inches long.

"Shelden and I are thrilled," Parker said in a release. "This is such a life changing moment for us, we feel blessed to have a healthy and beautiful baby girl."

Parker averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds last season. She was also on the U.S. team that won a gold medal at the Beijjing Olympics.

Parker plans to rejoin the Sparks once she gets the OK from her doctor. The WNBA season begins June 6.

Kentucky Derby champ MIne That Bird gets no respect

Kentucky Derby champ Mine That Bird is getting no respect after winning as a 50-1 shot...first his jockey jumped ship, then he was listed as the third favorite behind Pioneerof the Nile and a horse that did not even run the Derby, and a filly at that, Rachel Alexandra (photo, above) -- who is going to be ridden by Calvin Borel, the same jockey who was on Mine that Bird two weeks ago...

Filly Facts
- It has been 85 years since a filly won the Preakness
- It has been 103 years since one won as the favorite
- Nellie Morse was the last filly to win, in 1924
- Whimsical, at 8-5, was the last winner to go off as the favorite

Ken Murray of the Baltimore Sun writes how the filly is the favorite... "History waits for Preakness favorite Rachel Alexandra on Saturday, and it's not good history. The 3-year-old filly drew the 13th and outside post Wednesday for the Preakness Stakes, drawing a groan from the crowd of invited onlookers inside an air-conditioned tent at Pimlico Race Course." ...

Ken Murray

Vic Ziegel of the New York Daily News writes how Mind That Bird's trainer says the Derby was not a fluke... "Mine That Bird, vanned from Churchill Downs, with Woolley driving all 10 hours, and received a police escort for the last few miles. "The first time I've had the police leading me instead of chasing me," the trainer said. A joke, he told a joke. Who knew he had a punch line in him? Or turn out to be something more than an aw-shucks cowboy who might be capable of delivering a complete sentence." ...

Vic Ziegel

Below is the 2:20 clip of Rachel Alexandra's win at the Kentucky Oaks...

Who would be the posterboy for what is wrong with baseball?

A lot has been going on with baseball over the last few years...the players who were once looked upon as heroes are now considered liars, dirty, cheats, and villans...so this brings up a question, if you had to pick a posterboy of what is wrong with baseball, who would be on that poster?...

Would it be someone like Alex Rodriguez or Barry Bonds...how about Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, or Manny Ramirez...does Jose Canseco fit the bill...and let's not just focus on the "alleged" steroid users...what about Pete Rose...who is the posterboy for what is wrong with baseball...

So take a few minutes to think about it and post your views in the comments section...

Thank you!...

Danny Ozark, former Phillies manager, dies

While going through my week's worth of New York Times, I came across the obit of former Philadelphia Phillies manager Danny Ozark...

As a kid, I remember Ozark always leading the Phillies to the playoffs and losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers...the Phillies had Steve Carlton, Larry Christenson, Randy Lerch on the mound...Greg Luzinski, Bake McBride, Mike Schmidt, Larry Bowa, and Garry Maddox patrolled the field for those teams...

This is what was written in the obit...
Danny Ozark, the manager who led the Philadelphia Phillies to three consecutive National League East titles but fell short of the World Series each time, died Thursday at his home in Vero Beach, Fla. He was 85.

His death was announced by team officials.

Ozark, whose streak of three consecutive N.L. East titles in the late 1970s is unmatched in team history, twice led the Phillies to more than 100 victories, with back-to-back 101-61 records in 1976 and 1977. The Phillies went 90-72 under him in 1978 for their third straight division title, but lost again in the National League Championship Series.

Ozark was fired late in the 1979 season as the Phillies stood at 65-67. They went on to finish 84-78 and rebounded under Dallas Green in 1980 to win the World Series.

The Phillies’ current chairman, Bill Giles, said, “His patience with some of the Phillies’ young players in 1973-75, particularly with Mike Schmidt, really paid off as the Phillies got to the postseason in 1976, 1977 and 1978 and eventually won the World Series in 1980 after he left.”

Schmidt, a Hall of Fame third baseman, reached the majors under Ozark’s watch.

Ozark was named Associated Press Manager of the Year in 1976 and finished with a 594-510 record in seven seasons with the Phillies. His 594 wins are the third most in team history.

Ozark is survived by his wife, Ginny, two children and three grandchildren.

Tipping pitches - Mickey Mantle got his

This week Selena Roberts reports in her new book about Alex Rodriguez that A-Rod allegedly tipped pitches to opponents when he played for the Texas Rangers...New York Times reporter Alan Schwarz wrote about the time the Detroit Tigers gave the great Mickey Mantle a tip during the last weeks of his career which resulted in his 535th homer (photo above)... "Mantle apparently didn’t believe Price, but when he saw McLain nodding on the mound, he understood what was going on. “High and tight, mediocre cheese,” Price said Mantle responded." ...

Alan Schwarz