CBC, Ron MacLean fail to reach deal.: I, for one, am disappointed that MacLean will not be on Hockey Night in Canada this year. He is a class act who occasionally did some actual journalism (see the Bettman interviews) and one wonders where the CBC will find someone else who can stand up to Cherry. Who do you think is going to get the second seat on Coaches Corner?

posted by alex_reno to hockey at 11:43 PM - 11 comments

Time to play the freshmen.: Top-ranked Miami has played 10 of its 16 scholarship true freshmen this year. Virginia Tech has played nine, while Florida State eight. Because a growing number of college's finest players are turning pro after their junior seasons -- or in the case of quarterback Michael Vick, after redshirt sophomore seasons -- several of the elite teams' coaches are skipping what used to be a given: the redshirt year. Is college football getting more like college basketball in this way, and is that a good thing for the players or programs?

posted by thescoop to football at 12:40 PM - 2 comments

MLB Firings Begin.: Pujols, Gone. Kimm, See Ya. Who's next on the MLB Managerial Chopping Block? Who should be next?

posted by rosey8810 to baseball at 11:26 AM - 17 comments

Is Tice Toast?:
Minnesota's season is turning into an embarassing debacle. Coach Tice can't motivate his team or control his players. Will he survive the season? I give him a 40% chance of staying.

I don't feel bad because I despise the Vikings. I hate them more than I hate the Bears, but last night's game was embarassing.

posted by shackbar to football at 01:25 AM - 11 comments

Marino in '84. Bledsoe in '02.:
Being a lifelong Pats fan and a Bledsoe admirer, it's great to see Drew posting some crazy numbers. At the ridiculous pace he's on, he could approach the 48 TD, 4,500 yard neighborhood. Provided the Bills O-line doesn't get him killed first.

So why did the Pats trade him within the divison? Belichick seems to think he's mastered Bledsoe, but still, New England could beat the Bills both times in the regular season and still lose a playoff spot to Buffalo because they are so dramatically improved. There must have been an NFC team with interest...

posted by Conquistador to football at 11:14 PM - 9 comments

A Purse without a Fight: In 1998, Roy Jones Jr. considered jumping to the heavyweight division, so the WBC vacated his Light Heavyweight title. Graciano Rocchigiani won the vacated title in a split decision against Michael Nunn. Meanwhile, Roy Jones Jr. decides to stay a light heavyweight, so the WBC takes Rocchigiani's title and gives it back to Jones Jr. Rocchigiani sues the WBC, saying he was cheated of his title. The result? A $30 Million payday for Rocchigiani via a fight in the courtroom, and not the ring.

posted by Punkrockrat to boxing at 05:28 PM - 0 comments

America's Cup action begins.: The Louis Vuitton Cup brings together nine teams who will compete for the right to challenge current holders Team New Zealand in next year's America's Cup. I was turned on to the latest tournament by articles covering the USA teams in Wired ("Billionaire Boys Cup") and San Francisco magazine ("The Billionaire and the Mechanic" - in print only). Lots of tech and intrigue. (more inside)

posted by worldcup2002 to other at 01:05 PM - 2 comments

Did TV schedules lose US the Ryder Cup?: Europe regain the Ryder Cup, in a typically close thrilling finish: 'Only the birth of my children surpasses this,' said winning captain Sam Torrence. Great golf on all sides (Azinger's bunker shot, in particular) and a wonderful spirit (mea culpa after my earlier snarks) but you have to question Curtis Strange's decision to load the bottom of the singles with his big hitters, while Torrence put his best players in the top matchups. Was it governed by pressure, as speculated on the BBC, to have Tiger and Mickelson playing at a more favourable time for US television audiences?

posted by etagloh to golf at 11:00 AM - 4 comments

Where is Wang Zhizhi?: The Sports Page, a Dallas weekly, places the issue of Wang Zhizhi's absence from the Mavericks in a political context. The article suggests that if Wang gets too hung up on American-style "personal freedom," China will prevent Yao Ming from reporting to the Houston Rockets. Think the NBA's getting nervous?

posted by Bob Jones to basketball at 06:40 PM - 1 comment

Rey calls me stupid: The always-disappointing Rey Ordonez thinks Met fans are stupid. Apparently, we boo too much. As far as I can tell that start and ends his list of reasons why we're dumb, but its gotten him fired up. Rey wants to be more relaxed, wants to play somewhere where they don't hate errors and 0-4 games and where they don't expect you to be a machine. For the record, Rey's machine is firing at .254 avg, 1 HR, 2 SB, and 19 errors on the season. Rey makes $6 million. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

posted by 86 to baseball at 10:16 AM - 3 comments

Stop the holy showboating: "It is impossible to watch a sporting event these days without some spiritual revival meeting breaking out. There are prayers before the game, prayers of thanksgiving for mighty athletic feats, kneeling in a circle after the game. We have prayers after touchdowns, heaven-pointing after home runs, signs of the cross before free throws. It seems most post-game interviews begin with the 'thank the Lord' preamble."

posted by owillis to general at 12:09 AM - 6 comments

Baseball. Hoops. Golf. They're everywhere. : "The fastest man in Major League Baseball is Asian. The most eagerly anticipated NBA rookie in years? Asian. The world's greatest golfer, the quickest pro hockey player, the most precocious relief ace? Asian, Asian, Asian."

posted by kirkaracha to general at 09:28 PM - 2 comments

Celtics sold. Will the new owners hang #17?:
This one comes as a big shocker here in Boston. No one had any idea the team was up for sale. You know Larry Bird is pissed. Now that Paul Gaston is out, will these guys open the wallets and try to win a title?

posted by Conquistador to basketball at 04:25 PM - 1 comment

Insert tight end joke here: New York Giants rookie phenom Jeremy Shockey is catching some grief for comments he made on the Howard Stern show about gay football players: "if I knew there was a gay guy on my college football team, I probably wouldn't, you know, stand for it."

posted by rcade to football at 09:37 AM - 6 comments

Donovan McNabb the highest-paid player in league history.: After recieving a 12-year, 115 million dollar contract. Pretty good for a guy who was booed on draft day. Do you think the Eagles fans would rather have Ricky Williams now?

posted by corpse to football at 08:54 AM - 3 comments

Michael Jord . . .ahh, forget it.: Yeah, he's coming back, but more importantly, the Jerry Stackhouse trade slipped by me. Reading this story you have to wonder if Jordan has taken his game to a different level, it seems that there's been a real push to clear the salary cap for next year. So what's going on?

posted by jeremias to basketball at 10:06 PM - 0 comments

End of offside controversies in soccer?: German researchers have invented a computer system that will make offside calls. It sounds like a great use of technology to make one of the most difficult calls in sports. The offside rule is almost impossible enforce properly as it requires officials to watch two places at the the same time.

Tennis has used the Cyclops system for years to make line calls on serves. Will this system be the next to make referees jobs easier?

posted by Steve-o to soccer at 04:42 PM - 8 comments

DROPPING A DIME:

The streaker who so entertained the crowd after jumping out of the stands during Tuesday night's game had one phone call to make after being booked into jail.

Did he call a lawyer? His family? Nope. He called the Mariners postgame show.

Identifying himself only as "Mark from King County Jail," the man told host "New York" Vinnie Richichi he hadn't planned on the stunt before going to the game, but the mood just struck him.

"He said he was having a couple of beers and he thought, 'Why not? What the heck? The place needs a spark,' " Richichi said.

posted by djacobs to baseball at 12:35 PM - 2 comments

Randy Moss' mug shot and booking slip.: Also, Tice is letting him play this week. I guess he would have to "do an OJ" to get benched.

posted by owillis to football at 12:19 PM - 6 comments

Not Old Pat!!:
According to the Packers, Pat Summerall will do play-by-play for the Pack-Panther game Sunday. I thought he retired after last season. He's hasn't been good in 10+ years. I'll be turning up the radio for this game.

posted by shackbar to football at 12:09 AM - 7 comments

Barry Bonds has tied the NL mark: for consecutive games with a walk. He hit #16 tonight (in the first inning), matching Jack Clark's streak from 1987. The MLB record is 22, held by Roy Cullenbine.

posted by JawaKing to baseball at 09:54 PM - 8 comments

Crazy Wife files $12M suit against Finley.: Yes, our favorite Whitesnake performer is back in the news! Actress/Crazy Person Tawny Kitaen has filed a lawsuit against her husband saying he "broke a promise to finance her life, for the rest of her life."

Among my favorite notables in the suit are that "Kitaen ... managed his house and his life ... performed God's work by helping him select his hair color, a delightful dirty blond" and that "Her celebrity rubbed off on Finley, the lawsuit says, boosting his career--and earning power."

My question is, if God instructed her to manage his house and life, who told her to twist his ears and dig her heels into him while he was driving?

posted by rosey8810 to baseball at 04:13 PM - 1 comment

Meanwhile, the US wins it all: at the Women's World Basketball Championship. It wasn't a walkover, either; the final score of the final game was 79-74, US over Russia. (OK, they won their other games by an average of 30 points.) No more excuses about the tough NBA schedule getting in the way of the men, please.

posted by Bryant to basketball at 03:40 PM - 2 comments

Four time Super Bowl champ, nine Pro Bowls, numerous All Pro and All AFC teams: Mike Webster, inducted into the HOF in '97 - RIP...

posted by modge to football at 12:39 PM - 2 comments

Greatest goalkeeping cock-ups.: Not one, but two attempts by the Guardian to reassure Aston Villa goalie Peter Enckelman that he isn't alone when it comes to goalie blunders. (Mr Enckelman, in a historic derby vs Birmingham last week allowed a throw-in from his defender to somehow bounce under his foot -- contact with the ball was disputed -- and roll into goal. It was the second goal in a 3-0 loss against their newly-promoted city neighbors.) And, no, BigCalm, Fat Buddha didn't put me up to this.

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 09:55 AM - 8 comments

National Stadiums? Who needs 'em?: After a couple of years of thumb-twiddling, and political backbiting to rank alongside the Millennium Dome, the British Government has given the go-ahead for a £750m stadium to replace the old (and now disused) Wembley. No matter that the north-west London venue has always been plagued by access problems, or that the success of Manchester's Commonwealth Games this year proved that you could host an event in England, but not in London. It's a bitter outcome for those who campaigned for a stadium near Birmingham, in the centre of the country; and perhaps more bitter still for those sceptical of the whole concept of a 'national' stadium. Sydney's Olympic stadium is run-down and unused, while the US, Italy and Germany do fine without one. Another waste of money?

posted by etagloh to culture at 08:50 AM - 10 comments

Will he ever learn?: Randy Moss has another run-in with the law. Will he ever learn? I guess not.

posted by carbs to football at 08:35 PM - 6 comments

Gonzo's Gone.: The link about says it all. Randy and Curt can only put up 0s for so long--the Snakes must score if they're going to win the game. Without Luis, can they?

posted by herc to baseball at 06:37 PM - 3 comments

Randy Moss on fan support:

I've been booed before. I just shake it off. But from a team standpoint, if we're hearing our fans boo, then that means that they're not behind us. And being home in the Metrodome, they've got to be behind us 100 percent, through thick and thin. If we win, be behind us. If we lose, be behind us.

posted by shackbar to football at 03:46 AM - 8 comments

Edmonton Eskimos save woman.: In an incident with an uncanny resemblance to an old joke, a group of seven football players caught a woman who jumped from of the fourth floor of a burning building.

posted by alex_reno to football at 05:46 PM - 2 comments

Pedro quits. Again.: Poor guy doesn't feel like pitching again this year since he got his 20th win. Doesn't want to 'risk injury' since the team is out of contention. But it was fine to risk it to get win #20 with your team out of contention. When asked about the Cy award he said he'd split it down the middle between him and D-Lowe... (nevermind that Zito deserves it more than either of them) When is Pedro ever going to grow up? Everyone else on the 20 non contending teams is still playing and fulfilling their contracts...

posted by Bernreuther to baseball at 02:59 PM - 14 comments

Vrrrooowwrrr.: The Glamor of Formula 1. If you've never been a fan of Formula 1, now you have 10 pages of reasons why you should.

posted by worldcup2002 to other at 01:48 PM - 1 comment

It's tough to be a high school football coach. : Demanding schedules, booster club meetings, video sessions. And let's not forget teaching responsibilities. This Atlanta Journal-Constitution story explores the growing duties that are making high school football more like college football, especially in Georgia, where high school football is something of a religion. Are prep sports becoming too big in your communities?

posted by thescoop to football at 12:34 PM - 0 comments

Bad Attitude: Where Fox Sports Net went wrong in its quest to best ESPN

posted by jasonbondshow to commentary at 01:44 PM - 0 comments

One True Champion: How to have a college football national championship playoff using the Bowl Championship Series

posted by jasonbondshow to commentary at 01:16 PM - 0 comments

The Sports Curmudgeon loves sports. : "But sports are populated with people who do boneheaded things...all of them contribute a never-ending barrage of goofiness. That's where I come in. Here is the niche that I fill."

posted by kirkaracha to general at 09:58 AM - 0 comments

The US v Europe.: The Ryder Cup starts on Friday and at last we will have a contest that can unite spofiers from either side of the pond in mutual enmity. I hope to overdose on genteel trash talk (copyright worldcup2002). All the pre match talk is of the players and management being respectful of each other and not resorting to the antics of previous encounters. Sod that for a game of sodding tin soldiers. We owe you yanks big time, I hope we kick your asses and rub your noses in it. I hope the citizens of Sutton Coldfield can rouse themselves from their slumbers for once and make some chuffin noise. The ladies are already sticking it to em, long may it continue!

posted by Fat Buddha to golf at 03:47 PM - 10 comments

There's no baggy in baseball!: A new labor agreement is in the works between the MLB and the players union to eliminate the baggy, lose uniforms more recently worn by players like Barry Bonds and Manny Ramirez.

What do you think? Worth dealing with or not? I understand the reasoning on the oversized jerseys and baggy pants, but pants that hang over the spikes... is that really giving anyone an advantage?

Oh, and you vote for the biggest violator too.

posted by jerseygirl to baseball at 12:22 PM - 2 comments

Hockey, the old fashioned way.: The NHL is evaluating a proposal that might lead to the first outdoor game in it's modern history -- Alberta windchills and all -- to be played in Edmonton in 2004. No word yet on whether the referees will use a hand-bell, or whether the ice surface will be illuminated by skaters carrying a lantern.

posted by mkn to hockey at 04:09 PM - 1 comment

It's all about the Benjamins.: Jay Glazer reviews the contracts of a few major football players. The reality? Players will never see most of the money. Most of the large numbers ($29 million for 5 years for Trent Green) are structured so that players must renegotiate their contracts before the large balloon payments toward the end of the contract come due. Agents in fact try to get these bogus agreements, the reason? It makes the agent look good, and getting new clients easier.

posted by patrickje to football at 12:18 PM - 1 comment

With their victory last night, the 3rd game of a 3 game sweep,: the New York Mets now hold a lead in their lifetime series (since 1962) against the Chicago Cubs. This is the first time since 1962 that my Mets have held such a lead against any other team. I cannot find any proof this on-line, I just feel it in my bones.

Assignment to Spo-fi readers (all 5 of you): find proof on-line.

posted by djacobs to baseball at 11:36 AM - 10 comments

Easing the pain of losing:: Newsday reports seven Mets are suspected of smoking marijuana, and not just in private: they have been spotted toking in the parking lot, and one player had a stash delivered to Shea Stadium. Culprits include reliever Mark Corey, who had a seizure earlier this season after smoking pot with teammate Tony Tarasco, and other unnamed players. The article also states Ecstasy is popular in the Mets' minor league system.

posted by werty to baseball at 09:12 AM - 6 comments

KC Coach attacked.: In a win at Chicago, Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa was attacked by two Sox "fans". I know this isn't the first time, and it unfortunately won't be the last time. More inside...

posted by bcb2k2 to baseball at 08:27 AM - 13 comments

This could be Atlanta's year.: ESPN's Tim Kurkjian says the Braves could win the World Series this year. (I say they're the Minnesota Vikings of baseball.)

posted by kirkaracha to baseball at 09:57 PM - 5 comments

Bill Lyon, of the Philadelphia Inquirer,: attempts to salvage the reputations of Eagles fans after Monday night's pepper spray debacle. The Washington Post's article cited a Redskins fan saying "It just gave the Eagles fans six hours to get rowdy. We showed up at 5:30, and by the time we got there, there was a sea of green taking over a section of the parking, and they were horrible.". Lyon says "Eagles fans are an easy target".

posted by owillis to football at 09:15 PM - 1 comment

So that's how he does it. : The New Yorker's James Surowiecki dissects Billy Beane's (remarkably successful) strategy as general manager of the Oakland A's: He's built his organization around sabermetrics.

posted by mattpfeff to baseball at 01:49 PM - 5 comments

Why Hockey players rule: I know that other sports players do things like this, but it's usually backed by a ton of PR including photos. I've heard about more stuff like this (and experienced it as a child when I lost a cousin) from NHL players than any other sport.

posted by tj to hockey at 01:23 PM - 3 comments

USA higher than England and Italy in FIFA rankings.: Yes, the USA earned its highest spot (8) in the latest FIFA rankings, ahead of England (9) and Italy (10).

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 11:20 AM - 14 comments

Obsess much?: Mix two parts of statistical overload, three parts of OCD, and someone who really doesn't like one particular football player on the Steelers team (Jason Gildon), and you get "The Gildong Report." Brought to you weekly with screen captures and richly annotated notes a mere day after the game, for over FOUR years.

posted by machaus to football at 10:56 AM - 5 comments

"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy [Eagle Brook Country Club in Geneva, Ill.]. And you will know my name is [EagleBrookCountryClubSucks.com] when I lay my vengeance upon thee. [more inside]

posted by msacheson to golf at 06:36 PM - 3 comments

Thinking About Week 2: Oliver Willis dissects NFL Week 2

posted by owillis to commentary at 05:32 PM - 0 comments

A Freshman for the Heisman?: Why Maurice Clarett is a serious Heisman candidate

posted by thescoop to commentary at 04:22 PM - 0 comments

Tom Brady: Elite Quarterback?:
A lifelong Pats fan, I've been an ardent Bledsoe guy for a long time (I was p*ssed when they let him go to the Bills and I loved every one of his 463 yards on Sunday), but even I am starting to come around on Tom Brady. I spent a lot of time convinced that he couldn't make the throws that Bledsoe could and that the Pats dumbed down the offense for him, but it's becoming obvious that Brady's already one of the best QB's in the league.

I'm not ready to call him the next Joe Montana, and the New England defense sure has made his job easy, but this guy is getting better every week.

So anyone out there still not think the Pats are for real?

posted by Conquistador to football at 11:14 AM - 5 comments

Pierce Stabbing Trial Finally Starts:
We always think of pro athletes as untouchable, and they generally see themselves the same way. Not Paul Pierce, who was nearly killed in a Boston nightclub two years ago. He'll soon be taking the stand as his stabbing trial begins this week.

It was obvious that Pierce was going to be good, but I think that the incident made Pierce a better player. You always hear about Vince and T-Mac, but Pierce is a better player who is only now getting national attention after the Celtics' run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

posted by Conquistador to basketball at 10:41 AM - 1 comment

How to Fix Football : The Washington Post's Leonard Shapiro has some suggestions for improving football:

1. Limit Instant Replay
2. Boot the Extra Point
3. Alter Free Agency
4. Postpone Sudden Death
5. Hang Up the Headsets
6. Take Off the Gloves
7. Reward Long FGs
8. Cut the Funny Business
9. Banish the Owners
10. Fete the Fans

posted by kirkaracha to football at 08:18 AM - 8 comments

Game stopped for several minutes by police spray.: Professional sport contests draw crowds large enough to alternatively attract or incite violence. What measures must be taken to prevent this violence...and what goes too far? (oh...and check out the ad on the ESPN.com page for Sega's NFL 2K3 game...curious coincidence?)

posted by smithers to culture at 01:37 AM - 7 comments

When Pro Bowl running back Robert Edwards was injured in a beach football game in 1999, he "tore his posterior and anterior cruciate ligaments and medial collateral ligament, partially tore his lateral collateral ligament and stretched his peroneal nerve. Most seriously, he severed an artery that supplies blood to the lower leg." Against the expectations of almost everyone but himself, Edwards made it back to the NFL last week, scoring two touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins.

posted by rcade to football at 01:56 PM - 0 comments

The Greatest Embarassment: Why the NBA's best should be ashamed of what happened at the World Championships

posted by jasonbondshow to commentary at 12:47 PM - 0 comments

The World According To Daniel Snyder: Love him, or (more likely) hate him - this story on the young billionaire NFL owner is interesting stuff: "Snyder goes through five newspapers a day and has three television monitors in his office, but says he's finished paying attention to media criticism. He believes he remains quite popular with the one constituency that he says really matters to him, the one he says shows him an overwhelming approval rating by faithfully renewing season tickets: "I represent the [expletive] fans, and the fans are good! The fans are right!"

posted by owillis to football at 02:32 AM - 3 comments

With the NBA season coming, One man builds the perfect player: Have you ever noticed Pau Gasol’s arms? Or Bobby Jackson’s feet? Sixers Director of Player Personnel Tony DiLeo has. In fact, he notices everything, about every player in the NBA, and what makes each one special. And while he’d like to have a team that embodies the incredible qualities and skills of Kobe, Shaq, Tracy, Allen, and Vince, he tells sixers.com what he would steal from the league’s stars to build his complete player.

posted by carbs to basketball at 09:09 PM - 5 comments

Teams in need of kickers:
GB's Ryan Longwell is safe with his job, but I'm sure there are other kickers (San Fran's Cortez) worrying about a 10,000 lb replacement. Longwell joked, "I can't imagine many guys would actually rush his kicks because they'd be scared of the implications."

posted by shackbar to football at 12:17 AM - 2 comments

Who Needs Dennis Miller?: Especially when you've got Navjot Singh Sidhu, whose idiosyncratic commentating style has been perhaps the brightest aspect of the late-summer test series between England and India. Somewhere between homespun and surreal, his analogies and similes provided the first reason in years to abandon the chummy, plummy cake-fed boys of Test Match Special and listen to (as well as watch) Channel 4's coverage. One example: "[Romesh Kaluwitharara is like an Indian three-wheeler which will suck a lot of diesel but can't go beyond 30." Can a commentator win you over to a sport?

posted by etagloh to culture at 09:53 PM - 3 comments

NFL says no to Manning's tribute to Unitas.: In its usual No Fun League fashion, the league rejected Indy Colts QB Peyton Manning's request to honor the passing of Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas. The QB ordered and planned to wear Unitas' trademark black tops on Sunday against Miami.

The NFL's statement said that "no team other than the Baltimore Ravens will be allowed to wear a patch or armband on their uniforms" on Sunday.

posted by rosey8810 to football at 09:51 PM - 4 comments

Kournikova two wins away from her first singles championship.: Can it be true? Ms K makes it into the semi-finals of the Shanghai Open, two matches away from the first singles title in her seven-year pro career. Can it happen? Will hell freeze over? Will monkeys fly out my asymptote? Commence picture linking and snarky comments.

posted by worldcup2002 to tennis at 06:21 PM - 4 comments

Byron Moreno: , the Ecuadoran referee who officiated at the South Korea v Italy debacle in the world cup has been banned for 20 games by The Ecuador F.A. It all looked a bit dodgy at the time and begs the question how do refs from tiny countries with no football tradition end up officiating at the most important tournament in the world, at worst they are corrupt, at best they are chuffin useless. It all takes a bit of gloss off for me. The most important question though, is how the hell did a chap from Ecuador end up with the name Byron?

posted by Fat Buddha to soccer at 02:08 PM - 3 comments

Fantasy Football 101.: You know it's gotten big when the NY Times has a story on it's .com front page. NYT link, yada, yada, yada

posted by msacheson to football at 01:10 PM - 0 comments

The Geometries of Sports Branding.: From the AIGA Gain 2.0 (design) magazine, an interview with Thomas O'Grady, VP and Creative Director of NBA Entertainment. Lots of great stories on the design decisions that shape the NBA experience, including the creation of long shorts:

"The long pants came from Michael Jordan, which is a great story. Jordan would get tired because he played so many minutes when he was with the Bulls in the mid-‘80s, so by the third quarter he would be exhausted. He would be doing a lot of this leaning over and catching his breath. Eventually he was starting to grab his pants, to hold onto them because he was exhausted. As time when on, you could see that by the end of the game his pants were long because he had just stretched them. He finally asked Champion, the uniform manufacturer, for more length in his shorts, so that he could hang onto his shorts. The next thing you know, the kids see the longer shorts and everybody’s wearing longer shorts. He created a fashion without even knowing it."

posted by worldcup2002 to basketball at 01:08 PM - 4 comments

In Montreal, Soccer outdraws the Expos.: Last night the Montreal Impact became first-ever A-League team to outdraw a Major League Baseball team in the same market on the same night. 6,354 fans watched the Impact draw 0-0 with Rochester at Claude Robillard Stadium in comparison to the 4,147 who watched the Montreal Expos’ at Olympic Stadium.

posted by timberlog to soccer at 10:57 AM - 3 comments

Football Fans:: Younger, richer than other sports nuts. "According to interviews and network viewing profiles, the average NFL viewer makes about $55,000 a year. That's compared to about $48,000 for the average NHL viewer, $43,000 for baseball and $39,000 for the NBA."

posted by owillis to football at 10:03 AM - 5 comments

Ford teams could have their best chance of ending the domination of the Holden Racing Team: in this year's V8 Supercar Championship when the series resumes this Sunday with the V.I.P. Petfoods Queensland 500. The Queensland 500 is the first of the endurance rounds in the championship and is often seen as a practice for the all-important 1000km race at Bathurst.

posted by dg to other at 08:20 AM - 1 comment

Jury to decide who owns Bonds' record No. 73 baseball.: Alex Popov claims he caught the ball before he got crushed by a mob of fans. Hayashi, who ultimately grabbed the ball, says he's the owner. Judge McBride says they're both wrong. There's possibly $1 million at stake here, folks. Who do you think owns it? How would you decide? [more inside]

posted by worldcup2002 to baseball at 06:07 PM - 7 comments

Is Pete Sampras the best ever? Please, give me a break. How can a guy be considered the best when he can't win on clay (no French Open)? That tells me that his game is limited. Pete is the Ben Affleck of tennis. A lot of ooh and ahh, but his range is limited. Sure he's an excellent serve-and-volleyer (which explains his many Wimbledon championships), but he is hardly the best. You have to give it to a player who has won all the Grand Slams. First choice: Rod Laver. (BTW, how can Agassi not be in the top eight?) Don't even get me started about the ridiculous claim of Steffi Graf being one of the greatest. [more inside]

posted by jacknose to tennis at 04:49 PM - 8 comments

Midlands derby revived!: In honor of Fat Buddha and BigCalm, I'm posting this thread on the upcoming Premier League clash between intra-city rivals Aston Villa (BigC's team) and Birmingham City (Fat B's team). These Birmingham clubs last played each other at the highest level 15 years ago, when Villa lost at home 3-0. Villa are the visitors for next Monday's game, coming off a 2-0 win that ended a two-game losing streak. Birmingham, newly-promoted from Division 1, have had two lucky breaks this week. They almost pulled off an upset over championship contenders Liverpool with a 2-2 draw yesterday, and earlier saw their owner walk away from a small plane crash-landing. Both teams are only separated by one point in the League standings, so this will be a compelling match, with much to play for. But I'm most interested in FB and BC's genteel brand of trash-talking. Educate us on the history of this clash and flame away, gents.

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 03:22 PM - 45 comments

Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch cut himself from the St. Louis Rams today and is returning his $395,000 bonus, joining Pat Tillman in the short list of athletes who really aren't about the money.

posted by rcade to football at 12:53 PM - 5 comments

Bison Dele, I hardly knew you.: It was reported earlier this week that Dele, born Brian Williams, is missing at sea.

posted by msacheson to basketball at 11:22 AM - 2 comments

Ralph Strangis, the mild-mannered and universally beloved Dallas Stars broadcaster, is profiled by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Strangis talks about the early, lowly years after the team moved from Minnesota, his recovery from an auto accident last December, and the huge cocaine habit that nearly iced him.

posted by rcade to hockey at 09:39 PM - 0 comments

If you're like me, you've probably spent many hours trying to move objects using only the power of your mind. When you're not doing that, you're just waiting for hockey season to begin. When you get tired waiting for the usual mainstream hockey site season previews, check out these links for information on up and coming prospects (click on your team and then the message boards), trade rumors, the physics of hockey, hockey badasses, Bruins information, or just some hockey quotes. When you're done with that, I guess it's back to porn again.

posted by Samsonov14 to hockey at 07:34 PM - 7 comments

Now, Johnny Unitas -- there's a haircut you could set your watch to.: Johnny Unitas died today at the age of 69. Considered by many to be the greatest quarterback of all time, he will be missed.

posted by corpse to football at 07:14 PM - 2 comments

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling has won 45 games in 2001 and 2002, the highest two-year total for a pitcher in a quarter century. Can any of his success be attributed to his unusual use of technology?

posted by rcade to baseball at 09:25 AM - 8 comments

Via this great compilation of sports links, I discovered Ball Parks, where you can find seating charts, cross sections, trivia, and more on many hockey, baseball, football, soccer, horse racing, and basketball stadiums. Now if only they'd include some really good concession stand recipes.

posted by iconomy to general at 08:16 AM - 2 comments

The First African-American Major Leaguer: was Moses Fleetwood Walker, a catcher for the Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association in the 1880s. (More info in thebaseballpage's History of African-Americans in Organized Baseball.) [Links first spotted at MetaFilter]

posted by kirkaracha to baseball at 01:26 PM - 0 comments

Um, Kordell, sometimes, the best team wins...again!:
"We can stop making comparisons that they shouldn't have won the AFC championship game. They proved it tonight."

Just got back from Gillette Stadium. What a facility. And what a show by the Super Bowl Champions, especially on defense. Finally, the Steelers are admitting that the Patriots are the better team. Apparently the big gaudy rings on their fingers wasn't enough. Anyway, Flowers and Stewart were among the biggest off-season Steeler trash talkers who failed to bring Hefty bags to Foxboro Monday night.

Stewart, who threw three picks, fumbled and was sacked five times, in Real Audio: "We got our butts kicked."

Bono said it best after the game. "It was a Beautiful Day..."

posted by Conquistador to football at 03:16 AM - 9 comments

Why not to have a rapper as your sports agent:
Uber-agent, Leigh Steinberg got Ricky Williams an improved contract with the Dolphins. But check out this comparison between Williams' pay and that of Edgerin James:

In his first two NFL seasons, Williams earned $10 million, including a $9 million signing bonus. Indianapolis running back Edgerrin James, another 1999 first-round pick represented by Steinberg, earned $20 million during the same period.

posted by shackbar to football at 11:43 PM - 5 comments

Have you heard of Speed Stacking?

posted by djacobs to extreme at 09:03 PM - 4 comments

London Times football writing is the best.: Aside from the breadth of resources, it is the high standard of match reports that draws me to the Times's soccer section. Pick one report and marvel at the attention to detail, the ability to capture the atmosphere and drama of the event, the near-epic weaving of game minutae into the larger game and league context, the dry wit and, sometimes, lyrical poetry. The fact that they pull this off day in and day out is sheer brilliance. You will never see sports writing in the same light.

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:50 PM - 15 comments

Hamster racing!: Imagine with me, if you will, the creation of an international league of rodent-powered vehicle races. This is a low-entry-barrier sport, requiring only a rodent, a toy car and a hamster wheel. We could have different classes, based not on the vehicle, but on the rodent type: Hamster, Guinea pig, Gerbil class, et cetera. Imagine the fan base this would attract, everyone from little children to grannies to Richard Gere. Imagine the sponsorship opportunities. Pet-powered vehicle racing fans, unite!

posted by worldcup2002 to other at 01:17 PM - 1 comment

Blatant Self-Link! : If you haven't been keeping up with the Sidelines, you should consider shifting your eyes to the right a few inches (depending on your screen size, of course). SportsFilter now accepts submissions for columns/articles (which we've mentioned previously in the Sidelines and Locker Room). Just in case you've missed our mass advertising campaign, here are the first three member columns: Imminent Demise, Spreading It Around, and Pickup Basketball in the Global Village.

posted by jacknose to other at 10:23 AM - 1 comment

Loss leaves Cowboys in state of shock.: "I'm not embarrassed," Campo said. "I'm upset with the way we played. We gave this football game away." What does it take to embarrass this man, a loss to the little giants?

posted by justgary to football at 06:04 AM - 8 comments

Pickup Basketball in the Global Village: An open letter to the NBA and WNBA

posted by smithers to commentary at 05:10 AM - 0 comments

how does the NYT justify publishing horse racing results but not a 'vegas line': call me retarded or assinine. but as a a dedicated NYT print reader for several years now, i find it hard to justify publishing horse racing results and not a 'vegas line' for betting odds on sporting events. being it week 1of nfl football one would think that horse racing captivates the betting public just as much as nfl football.

posted by oliver_crunk to football at 04:31 PM - 2 comments

Miami dominated. Florida flopped.:

I spent nine months thinking about 'next year' and it pretty much ended right at the beginning. It was incredible to have such a premier game so early in the season, but to be on the losing end is crushingly depressing. A home loss decimates any hopes of a national championship, and without that ... well ... is there really any other point to the season?

At Florida it's all about beating FSU and shooting for the SEC Championship (beating Georgia, Tennessee) ... but even if we manage to do that it will only bring a small solace after taking such a beating.

What do you do when you have to wait 10 or 12 games and another nine months to be hopeful again? Does anyone else know that feeling?

(Insult to Injury: Also a Red Sox fan.)

posted by GatorDavid to football at 11:45 PM - 7 comments

Pitchers should not be considered for the MVP award, Barry Bonds said in an interview with MLB.Com published Friday. "I think it's embarrassing to everyday players," Bonds said. "It's an insult. They have their award and then everybody gets to fight for it in the playoffs or World Series. A pitcher can be MVP in the playoffs."

posted by rcade to baseball at 06:07 PM - 10 comments

Top 10 NFL games to watch.: Time magazine pick this season's 10 "can't miss" games. ESPN's First...and 10 goes to 11. Sports Illustrated's "must-see" list picks the top game each week. [more inside]

posted by kirkaracha to football at 01:09 PM - 1 comment

Fire him:
Milwaukee Brewers farm director Greg Riddoch should lose his job just for saying something this stupid:

Fans just have to be patient. It took the Minnesota Twins about eight years to get there. Everybody looks at their team and says, 'All of a sudden they've got all these good young players.' Well, it didn't happen all of a sudden. I coached third base for Tampa Bay in 1998 and '99 and they got their tails kicked. But now, four years later, they've got an awfully nice looking team.

posted by shackbar to baseball at 11:28 PM - 3 comments

More post-game video review reversals.: This one will rankle you Man City fans and Fantasy League players. The FA just decided that Nicolas Anelka's hattrick against Everton was, well, more like a brace. One of the goals has now been ruled an own goal by Everton's Radzinski. I can see them reversing sending-offs, but was this really necessary? Will lawsuits ensue from disgruntled teams, players, punters? Could Anelka lose a bonus? Miss out on a Golden Boot award? Are my Fantasy League opponents going to lose points (heh heh)?

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 12:49 PM - 3 comments

NBA-powered U.S. team finally falls: The basketball universe changed forever Wednesday night. Argentina pulled off a victory that until recently was considered nearly impossible, defeating the United States 87-80 in the World Championships. It was the first loss for a U.S. team in 59 games since the Americans began sending NBA players to international tournaments in 1992.

posted by RGarraud to basketball at 10:17 PM - 8 comments

I love the Oakland A's:

The cosmic implications of this performance, and the facts and opinions they cause to well up inside me, have reminded me, as a winning team will often do to a man (or an astute woman, for that matter) of my long-held ties to the Oakland A's. It's always much better to say, "We won," than "They lost." Or don't you agree? Of course you do, unless you're some kind of masochist or a Cubs fan.

posted by djacobs to baseball at 09:05 AM - 27 comments

Borrowing the name from The Simpsons, a new minor league baseball team has been named the Albuquerque Isotopes. More on the team, which will be the Triple A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, can be found on its official web site.

posted by rcade to baseball at 08:28 AM - 6 comments

Sepak is Malaysian for "kick", and takraw means "woven ball" in Thai. Put them together and you get Sepak Takraw, the 500 year old Malaysian sport that's taking the rest of the world by...a really slow moving storm. Think 3 players on a side, using soccer kicks and head butts, on a volleyball court, trying to get a beautiful little hard, woven rattan ball over the net. It may be coming to the 2008 Winter Olympics, and small leagues are popping up all over the place. Photo op.

posted by iconomy to other at 06:52 AM - 2 comments

The NFL season is now upon us and Dr. Z has made his picks.: What are yours? (more inside)

posted by ttrendel to football at 02:01 AM - 17 comments

58-1: That's the USA record in international play with NBA players now that Argentina beat them. Poor George Karl. He suffered through a season where his Milwaukee Bucks imploded. Now, he's known as the coach that couldn't win with pros. If the USA fails to win the gold, look to David Stern to make sure the top-flight players (i.e. Kobe and Shaq) play in the Olympics in Athens in 2004

posted by shackbar to basketball at 09:17 PM - 5 comments

Spreading It Around: Why the spread offense still works

posted by thescoop to commentary at 08:30 PM - 0 comments

Thinking About Kickoff: Letters To NFL Notables

posted by owillis to commentary at 12:12 PM - 0 comments

April September Fool's.: I must admit, I was stunned by the beauty shot of Simonya Popova in last week's SI. I didn't catch on to the fact that she was fake, a hoax, perpetrated by Sports Illustrated. Not fair, NOT FAIR!

posted by msacheson to tennis at 11:16 AM - 5 comments

Girl Dies After Football Practice: "The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled that her death was caused by blunt trauma that led to a clot under the surface of her brain. A spokesman for the office said she had been hit during a full-contact practice earlier in the week."

posted by owillis to football at 10:29 AM - 1 comment

Imminent demise: verses describing the precise way that you can be slain by a pitch

posted by vito90 to commentary at 06:45 PM - 0 comments

MLB threatens to sue fan websites: Now that the strike has been averted, Selig and cronies are going after fans that use team logos without permission. Was this the best PR move they could come up with to bring consumers back to the game?? (note: free subscription required)

posted by smithers to baseball at 10:48 AM - 9 comments

Economics Professor to NFL Coaches: GO FOR IT!: "Despite its weighty title and intimidating volume of data, Romer's conclusions are fairly simple: Coaches should gamble more on fourth down, not just in scoring territory but from nearly every spot on the field, even in situations such as fourth-and-3 from their own 10." Of course, there's a new coach in the league who says: "I've always believed that if you play a lot of close games, you're going to lose your share. Teams that kick a lot of field goals, they don't go real far, it seems like." (here's a PDF of the paper in question)

posted by owillis to football at 02:07 PM - 12 comments

Kimi Raikkonen rocked.: So I tape the qualifying at Spa and Raikkonen looks like he is ripping the track up, using every inch of every corner, and whipping every last bit out of his McLaren. Ferrari and Michael Schumacher defeated this effort to gain the pole postition, and will almost certainly win the race. While I appreciate Ferrari's competence, I really admire Raikkonen's effort, even if it will be for naught. Is F1 like baseball, where you learn to appreciate the nuances, so that even losers like Raikkonen, or Nolan Ryan, can be appreciated for their individual performances despite the inability of the teams around them to compete? BTW, the Formula One website is very well done, clean and fast, with lots of links.

posted by dglynn to other at 02:51 AM - 1 comment