11/21/24
Recent Posts by Hugh Janus
January 06, 2014
Český lakros: (Czech lacrosse) Before the [1989 Velvet] revolution, Czech Boy Scouts, inspired by illustrations of American Indians at play, fashioned their own sticks and rules of the game... "...It was created in the late sixties by people interested in the life of American Native people but they didn't have contact to international federation, to international lacrosse bodies. So they created their special own rules..." "...Played with very small sticks closely resembling the original Indian sticks. This had come about because a Professor at one of their colleges was very keen on the North American Indian way of life and had formed an association who emulated this way of life during the summer months, one of the activities being the Indian game of Lacrosse; this game was very popular among the young people and was often played in the country at weekends when the flat dwelling of Prague emigrated from the city."
posted by Hugh Janus to other at 10:55 AM - 2 comments
July 09, 2013
Barrett Green sues: the Washington NFL team, Gregg Williams, and Robert Royal for fostering and participating in the bounty program that encouraged the "unusual, outrageous, and... obvious cheap shot" that ended his career.
posted by Hugh Janus to football at 10:12 AM - 2 comments
September 17, 2012
Tom Sims, skate- and snowboard pioneer, died Sept. 12 of cardiac arrest. He was 61: As a young star in the 1970's SoCal skateboarding circuit, Sims was a tireless promoter of the sport, building the first longboards for skating and founding Sims Skateboards, who made the first lightweight laminated skateboards and managed the Sims skateboard team, sponsoring rising stars like Stacy Peralta, Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi, Kevin Staab, and the late Jeff Philips (it's all a little complicated, hard feelings all around, as the above links hint). Sims' attention moved to the slopes and his company morphed into Sims Snowboards, making the first metal edged snowboard, the first snowboarding half pipe, the first freestyle snowboard, the first snowboards designed specifically for women riders, and the first pro-model snowboard. Here he is in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill riding down the mountain on a snowmobile ski. Peers, friends, and former riders reflect.
posted by Hugh Janus to other at 11:09 AM - 2 comments
June 22, 2012
Trail of stock deals led to DeCinces insider trading accusation: Link to ex-Oriole teammate Murray remains unclear.
posted by Hugh Janus to baseball at 08:44 AM - 6 comments
December 01, 2011
Kisenosato promoted to ozeki: Sumo's rising star Kisenosato has been promoted to the elite rank of ozeki after a tremendous run of 60 wins in 90 bouts over the past 12 months. He seems to be the only rikishi who has Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho's number, having beaten the grand champion several times. Here's a 2006 interview with Kisenosato, and for a bonus, Hakuho vs. Asashoryu, splitting the world in half.
posted by Hugh Janus to other at 09:21 AM - 4 comments
August 25, 2011
Mike Flanagan: Baltimore Orioles lefthander, general manager, broadcaster, 1979 Cy Young award winner, 1983 World Series winner, found dead at his home. He was 59.
posted by Hugh Janus to baseball at 09:19 AM - 9 comments
July 16, 2010
Octopus Transfer: Oberhausen reject 'Paul to Madrid' transfer bid
posted by Hugh Janus to soccer at 10:49 PM - 2 comments
December 10, 2008
"If the old guy scores, we're walking home.": Expelled from Lees College in 1956 for a shaving cream incident, 73-year old Ken Mink makes good on remaining years of eligibility.
"I used to be 6-2," Mink said.
posted by Hugh Janus to basketball at 10:32 AM - 2 comments
October 31, 2008
Float Ball: Former Washington linebacker Ken Harvey and the future of SpaceSportilization.
posted by Hugh Janus to other at 09:20 AM - 3 comments
October 22, 2008
Swedish hockey fans delay match with dildo downpour: "We'd also heard mention of it, but we decided that it would only be worse if we went out and told the fans they were absolutely not allowed to throw dildos on the ice," said AIK club head Mats Hedenstrm to the newspaper.
posted by Hugh Janus to hockey at 04:25 PM - 31 comments
August 22, 2007
'Wild Bill' Hagy : dies at 68. The 'Roar from 34' is no more.
posted by Hugh Janus to baseball at 12:43 PM - 8 comments
April 17, 2007
"Fight Money":: In Japanese baseball many teams give each player a $1,000 bonus for a win. Yankees left-hander Kei Igawa says, "It's like bait." Would it fly in MLB? Fukuoka Hawks reliever C.J. Nitkowski says, "It's ashtray change at best."
posted by Hugh Janus to baseball at 11:30 AM - 11 comments
March 28, 2007
Glittering prizes and endless compromises: Rush's Geddy Lee on fantasy baseball.
posted by Hugh Janus to baseball at 03:56 PM - 16 comments
December 21, 2006
From a Hero to Felon. : Addiction threw Sammy Stewart a curveball, and the former O's pitcher has yet to recover .
posted by Hugh Janus to baseball at 04:25 PM - 4 comments
August 16, 2006
Lonnie, we thought we knew ye: His breadth and his touch were enough for Lonnie Baxter to shoulder Maryland to an NCAA championship, but his lack of height turned his NBA career to an unsurprising bust. His getting busted this morning on weapons charges is a bit more of a surprise.
posted by Hugh Janus to basketball at 10:49 AM - 27 comments
April 25, 2006
Coach of the Year!: Baltimore Blast coach Tim Wittman has been suspended for the next two seasons by the Major Indoor Soccer League for putting a game official in a chokehold.
posted by Hugh Janus to soccer at 03:34 PM - 1 comment
March 29, 2006
Larranaga and the art of goofy motivation: Zorro and Don Quixote vs. Giggles in the paint.
posted by Hugh Janus to basketball at 11:02 AM - 5 comments
November 28, 2005
All the way, the "Bobby way": Valentine takes the Chiba Lotte Marines to the Japan Series title (and the hearts and boardrooms of Japan).
posted by Hugh Janus to baseball at 07:48 PM - 6 comments
October 20, 2005
Serving Larry Bird: too bad he wasn't number 15.
posted by Hugh Janus to basketball at 11:50 AM - 17 comments
September 28, 2005
"Nobody wants to see another Reggie Lewis.": But can the Bulls demand of Eddie Curry a DNA test for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as a condition of employment?
posted by Hugh Janus to basketball at 11:06 AM - 12 comments
September 02, 2005
Ciao Pierluigi: Collina retires. In related news, Laetitia Casta "adore[s] football and the severity of referees." *tweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!*
posted by Hugh Janus to soccer at 01:57 PM - 7 comments
August 26, 2005
Legendary Latino Sluggers Left Out: Ted Williams and Reggie Jackson miss MLB's Latino Legends ballot. Half isn't enough?
posted by Hugh Janus to baseball at 10:10 AM - 14 comments