Now that their season is over, is it time for Mark Cuban to blow up the Mavs and try a different strategy? SI columnist Marty Burns says no :Right now the NBA can't afford to lose one of its most entertaining acts. The Lakers are about to implode. The Kings' window is closing fast. Carmelo's Nuggets and LeBron's Cavs are still at least a year away. Take your high-octane Mavs out of the NBA next season and who's going to keep the scoring average from plummeting to 1950s levels? The Spurs, Pistons and Pacers are all excellent well-coached teams. But who wants to see 70-point games every night? Any thoughts?

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 08:28 PM - 11 comments

Jayson Williams Jury renders decision.: Guilty on 4 of 6, acquited of most serious charge in the February 2002 shooting death of limo driver Costas "Gus" Christofi.

posted by jerseygirl to basketball at 03:23 PM - 9 comments

Convention wisdom holds that in baseall, the rich feast while the poor (small markets) can only hope to catch some crumbs. Maybe not. The last three champs have been Arizona, Anaheim and Florida and, according to Rob Neyer, we are in a golden age of competitive balance.

posted by dzot to baseball at 02:22 PM - 5 comments

San Francisco OF is on pace to walk 254 times this year, breaking the single-season record by 50 walks. "The whole intentional walk fiasco is making a mockery of the game and it's depriving fans an opportunity to see the greatest player," said baseball historian John Thorn, who proposes that additional bases be awarded for every intentional walk after the first one in a game.

posted by rcade to baseball at 01:54 PM - 17 comments

Boston.com readers were asked to cast real life people/actors for roles as the Red Sox and this is what they came up with. (B.H. Kim particularly cracked me. I love Sixteen Candles). Page 2 regularly does the whole Here's Looking At You. So who do you think is separated at birth? You need to post some pictoral proof! sorry, slow news day

posted by jerseygirl to general at 01:41 PM - 22 comments

On this day in baseball history,: 13 years ago, Rickey Henderson broke Lou Brock's stolen base record. Really Dave is just posting this because we need a new thread and he remembered Rickey Henderson Fridays. Why is nobody talking about anything today? Dave is bored.

posted by Bernreuther to baseball at 12:54 PM - 15 comments

We are an instant gratification society.: New programming allows for 3-hour baseball games to be condensed to an 8-minute highlight clip. ESPN video editors are collecting money for a bounty as we speak.
NY Times link, reg. req'd. move along.

posted by lilnemo to culture at 03:17 PM - 7 comments

"They should call Pat Tillman's army life 'Rambo 4: Rambo Attempts to Strike Back at His Former Rambo 3 Taliban Friends, and Gets Killed.'": UMass grad student takes on the Legend of Pat Tillman. Most people aren't pleased with his thoughts on the matter and think he should stick to playing Ghosts and Goblins. Amazingly, this American college student with strident opinions doesn't have a blog I can find. And his web site looks a bit out-of-date.

posted by yerfatma to culture at 11:53 AM - 23 comments

The columnist Russ Smith wants to prevent the "terrifying prospect" of George Will becoming commissioner of baseball, citing as evidence Will's April 4 column calling Bud Selig the sport's "greatest commissioner."

posted by rcade to baseball at 11:36 AM - 6 comments

Wired has a story about the Wi-Fi installation at San Francisco's SBC Park. The Giants' Chief Information Officer Bill Schlough discusses the technology changes. For you baseball crazies on SpoFi (and arguably many of you are tech crazies as well), how do you feel about this dawning of a new age in the baseball fan experience?

posted by smithers to baseball at 08:09 AM - 10 comments

Aussie swimmer Craig Stevens gives up Olympic spot to Ian Thorpe: After multiple world record holder swimmer Ian Thorpe was disqualified from the Australian 400m trials for a false start, the spot was won by Craig Stevens. Stevens, however, offered to vacate the spot in order to allow Thorpe to take his place. Thorpe has finally decided to take Stevens up on his kind offer, and will swim the 400m in Athens. Stevens has come under some criticism for the decision though, as accusations that he wilted under the pressure of public opinion and took money from a TV station to make the decision have been lodged against him.

posted by split atom to other at 11:21 PM - 9 comments

Out with the old...: in with the new. Can Doc Rivers save the Celts? More Inside...

posted by lilnemo to basketball at 05:40 PM - 6 comments

Donruss does the right thing.: After finding a game-used jersey of Pat Tillman in one of its offices, the cardmaker has given it back to the family instead of capitalizing on the former NFL player's death by cutting it up for use in its products. Other jersey makers, however, are apparently salivating at the chance to purchase the rights to his name (further down in story), including one who is marketing Len Bias jerseys.

posted by wfrazerjr to culture at 12:39 PM - 10 comments

The future of CBS SportsLine is on shaky ground, according to an article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

posted by rcade to general at 10:01 AM - 6 comments

Ever heard of Conrad Dobler? Certainly you've heard of Mean Joe Green. And although I mostly know him as an actor, Dad has told me stories about Dick Butkus. What do football GM's like in their players? They like them MEAN. So, who's on your all-meanie list?

posted by vito90 to football at 08:55 AM - 5 comments

Eli vs. Phil:

Mascots: The Giants and the Chargers appear to be two of the most powerful mascots in the NFL, but think about it. When's the last time a Giant sent 10,000 volts of electricity through someone. As a matter of fact, when's the last time anyone's seen a giant? I'm pretty sure they went extinct with wooly mammoths. Even if a giant still existed, its height would make it an easy target for a lightning strike.

Advantage: Rivers

posted by justgary to football at 12:48 AM - 2 comments

First "Shaq Albert" and now this...: The Game Operations people at American Airlines Center, home of the Dallas Mavericks are an inventive lot are they not?

posted by lilnemo to basketball at 03:38 PM - 5 comments

Every game should have a winner.: Sepp Blatter wants to get rid of drawn matches. And just when the American league was going to finally allow them.

posted by dng to soccer at 10:57 AM - 23 comments

Self-scoring...: is golf the only game in the world where you can win and, everyone can see you win, and then you lose because you didn't get it quite right when you tried to write it down?

posted by JJ to golf at 06:45 AM - 10 comments

"What are you doing with teenaged boys? What are you doing with concrete?": Boston's Big Dig results in a skate park for that most prized of constituencies, 14 year-old boys.

posted by yerfatma to extreme at 06:35 AM - 8 comments

Here's what the people defending the Manning family don't understand:

Eli Manning's refusal to play for the Chargers could cost the people of San Diego their NFL franchise.

No joke.

posted by justgary to football at 02:05 AM - 67 comments

Waking Up in Time for the Playoffs…: lilnemo gives his take on the NBA Playoffs & Awards.

posted by lilnemo to commentary at 09:33 PM - 0 comments

EBay seller David Partington has put nothing up for bid, selling it to the highest bidder to protest the large number of sellers who listed Pat Tillman memorabilia this week to "cash in on the death of an American hero." The auction has reached $1,425 after being covered on ESPN.Com.

posted by rcade to football at 08:01 PM - 12 comments

"There's nothing more useless to the world than a washed-up prize-fighter.": A superb piece reflecting on the relationship between boxing and culture.

posted by Fat Buddha to boxing at 12:56 PM - 2 comments

Jenna Cooper, an all-Big 12 women's soccer player at the University of Nebraska, was fatally wounded Saturday night by a gun fired during a party at her house.

posted by rcade to soccer at 08:04 AM - 45 comments

Yankee Hating: It's not just for Boston anymore.: (it's also for Baltimore, Mets fans, and Seattle.) Ever since this guy wore a Yankees Hater hat to the Bruins game last week (further cementing the ongoing love affair between Red Sox fans and Curt Schilling), the website yankeeshater.com has been overwhelmed with orders from around the country. That picture, featured on SportsCenter, and presented in sports pages all over, has sent the website orders into overdrive. The hats (and the site owners) may be coming to a park near you.

posted by jerseygirl to baseball at 11:22 PM - 43 comments

Shortly after drafting Boston College offensive lineman Chris Snee in the second round, the New York Football Giants let the media know that Snee fathered Coach Tom Coughlin's grandchild.

posted by rcade to football at 10:13 AM - 9 comments

When you mess with the bull: Spanish matador Salvador Vega suffered a gruesome injury in a bullfight this weekend, as reported in the international press (more gore). ¿Es la tauromaquia un deporte?

posted by rcade to other at 09:09 AM - 21 comments

New NFL Draft Thread.: Did San Diego get the last laugh? How about everyone else? Cleveland looks good to me.

posted by molafson to football at 08:00 PM - 10 comments

NASCAR Ballet.: The Roanoke Ballet Theatre presented on April 15 and 17: "An all original exploration into the pop-culture that is NASCAR, performed by dancers, musicians, videographers, live calling by Mike Stevens of Channel 7 and NASCAR drivers, Ward Burton, Frank Kimmel and Rick Mast." (This surreal goodness brought to my attention by today's Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!)

posted by worldcup2002 to culture at 02:41 PM - 1 comment

Boston Globe writer Kevin Paul Dupont said Joe Thornton should relinquish the "C" just before game seven against the Habs. Kind of a dick move, right? Here's the thing, though: he explained his reasons on a public messageboard a few days ago. I was pissed about his column when it was published, but he makes some sense here.

Kudos to the dude for addressing the issues people had with his article. I love that a writer realizes that talking straight to internet nerds is important.

posted by Samsonov14 to hockey at 02:56 AM - 9 comments

You gotta be kidding me. The golfer ranked 124th in driving accuracy is on the cover of Golf Digest this month, purporting to teach me how to take control of my tee shots. That's like taking auto-driving lessons from Mr. Magoo.

posted by msacheson to golf at 07:27 PM - 5 comments

Bengals introduce new uniforms.: Why is the trend in the NFL lately to make ugly uniforms with as many variations as possible?

posted by Bernreuther to football at 02:44 PM - 12 comments

Pat Tillman, the former NFL player who turned down a $9-million, five-year offer to enlist in the military, has been killed during a firefight in Afghanistan.

posted by rcade to football at 09:57 AM - 28 comments

Big changes ahead for Formula 1.: Max Mosley, President of the FIA, has proposed a sweeping set of changes in the Formula 1 technical regulations. [More Inside]

posted by salmacis to other at 09:46 AM - 10 comments

Race tries to attract top American runners: Jerry Crockett, chairman of the long-distance running division of USA Track & Field said "It's a little bit of a sad commentary that our runners can't compete with the Kenyans and Ethiopians on a championship scale, but we're getting there." Well, attempting to discourage non-Americans from participating is one way to do it, I guess.

posted by sixpacker to other at 09:02 AM - 7 comments

The publisher of the Detroit Sports Rag Web site has been threatened with a lawsuit by the town's two newspapers over articles about two of their staffers, columnist Rob Parker and editor E.J. Mitchell. One of the legal demands: "they want the DSR to stop calling Rob Parker 'E.J. Mitchell's bitch.'"

posted by rcade to general at 06:21 PM - 4 comments

Archie Manning told the San Diego Chargers they should pass on Eli Manning with the first pick because the team sucks rocks.

posted by rcade to football at 03:12 PM - 34 comments

Gee, that didn't take long.: Ottawa is wasting no time in cleaning house. Jacques Martin was fired just 2 days after losing game 7 to Leafs. I think this is good move. In the end the coach is the one who has to find a way to get the most from his players (see all 3 coachs nominated for the Jack Adams). Martin has never ben able to inspire the team to reach that next level. It's time to let someone else have a try.

posted by camcanuck to hockey at 01:51 PM - 20 comments

SI's Darren Eliot takes the Avs, Leafs, Lightning and Wings: in a nice breakdown. It's time for second round NHL predictions - Who wins?

posted by WeedyMcSmokey to hockey at 01:29 PM - 4 comments

One for the road.: The Bucks surprised the Pistons with a 92-88 win, the first time a road team has won a game in the 2004 NBA playoffs. Playoff observations, chatter and rumors welcome inside.

posted by dusted to basketball at 10:27 PM - 5 comments

Ron Atkinson in racist storm.: Ron Atkinson, ex-manager, and originator of a language similar, but not entirely equal to English, called Ronglish, has been forced to resign from his job as a pundit with ITV, following comments made after the final whistle on Tuesday night. Big Ron apparently called Marcel Desailly a "fucking lazy nigger". Unforgiveable language, certainly, but Ron Atkinson played his part in the emergence of black players in England, when the Three Degrees of Brendan Batson, Cyril Regis and Laurie Cunningham played for West Bromwich Albion. Is he really a racist, or an example of a generational shift in the way we use language?

posted by salmacis to soccer at 04:49 PM - 32 comments

Unless there is some divine intervention, God will see to the release of Kurt Warner from the St. Louis Rams on June 1. It isn't in His plan for the quarterback to be signed by former Coach Dick Vermeil to back up Trent Green, but, Lord willing, Warner might end up in Chicago or Oakland. "I'm not looking at what's best for me," says Kurt. "I'm looking at what's best for the Lord and spreading his message." Wouldn't that be the Saints?

posted by rcade to football at 03:58 PM - 30 comments

NHL Award Nominees Named.: The NHL has announced the finalists for this years awards. I don't think they missed anyone, but it interesting to note that not a single Maple Leaf made the list.

posted by camcanuck to hockey at 03:48 PM - 14 comments

An interesting, though brief, look at the behind the scenes technology of the NHL: Wired writes: "The tech-savvy [Silicon Valley] Sharks, who are now in the conference semifinals in the race for the Stanley Cup, are using a 'bench monitor' to mark, review and zoom in on plays, and make adjustments to their strategy on the fly. The device also helps illustrate 'coachable moments.'"
And they say sports aren't for geeks?

posted by mkn to hockey at 11:22 AM - 3 comments

Balls: ... are they going too far?

posted by JJ to golf at 03:58 AM - 12 comments

Same old, same old.:
For the 4th time in 5 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs have knocked the Ottawa Senators out of the playoffs. The difference in the final game was the spectacular play of one goalie and the abysmal collapse of the other. Ottawa fans can begin the annual hand-wringing and finger-pointing.

posted by grum@work to hockey at 08:55 PM - 30 comments

Could it be? NHL ratings are up.

posted by garfield to hockey at 10:25 AM - 17 comments

Doug Pappas's website has nice collection of photos, interesting downloadable data, and a weblog about the business of baseball.

posted by jasonspaceman to baseball at 07:20 AM - 2 comments

Terrorists plan to blow up Old Trafford, home of Manchester United: . Police have narrowed the number of suspects down to 40,000,000 people.

posted by BigCalm to soccer at 04:57 AM - 15 comments

Law fought the law and the law won.: Patriots cornerback Ty Law was pulled over in Miami, there was a drive-away and a car chase and then a foot chase before he was arrested. And please officers, don't " touch him because he is a professional athlete".

posted by jerseygirl to football at 05:37 PM - 22 comments

Maurice Clarett was knocked out of the NFL draft by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the NFL was likely to succeed in arguing that college underclassmen should not be allowed to turn pro.

posted by rcade to football at 03:46 PM - 6 comments

Ron Artest wins NBA defensive player of the year.: Guess the coin came up tails this year...

posted by MeatSaber to basketball at 02:52 PM - 0 comments

Barry Bonds has hit more than 660 HRs,: but is it really that big of a deal? Tony Kornheiser, Rob Neyer, and some here don't seem to think so. What's your take?

posted by Bag Man to baseball at 02:05 PM - 32 comments

"I spoke to my children who were at the game and they told me 'Dad, seeing the things they are doing to us it is best you withdraw the team from the tournament.'": Perugia president Luciano Gaucci says his team will not play their remaining four games in Italy's Serie A league. "The referees are massacring us game by game and I cannot stand by any longer and watch them do it." Valid concerns? Or just more misguided drama from a man who fired a S. Korean player after he helped his national team beat Italy in the 2002 World Cup, hired Gaddafi's son as a midfielder and promised to hire women to play on his team by January this year?

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:33 PM - 4 comments

The Deadball Era: : where every player is safe at home. Dedicated to deceased ballplayers, this site has grave photos, burial sites, obituaries and more. Check out the very cool audio vault. Listen to Babe and Lou do comedy (5 min. MP3). ["Babe, all you have to do is diet another 15 years and you'll almost look human".] Peruse the baseball cards and photos of the dead. Enjoy the grim story of the '27 Yankees (warning: embedded sound). They also have photos of dead stadiums.

posted by jeffmshaw to baseball at 01:29 PM - 3 comments

For those of you who think the Padres are dogging it ...: Your friends at PETA, the folks who brought you anger over John Randle chasing a chicken in a Nike ad, have now snuck a secret message into a memorial brick at San Diego's new PETCO Park. Personally, I think everyone should just get together for a BBQ and chill out.

posted by wfrazerjr to culture at 11:19 AM - 7 comments

Sure, you have the Red Sox/Yankee rivalry, but what about the Dodgers/Giants rivalry, which began in the 1880s. After this past weekend, Dodgers have a one game advantage: 969 to 968. This rivalry has inspired not one, but two books, and a chess set. From Bobby Thomson's famous "Shot heard 'round the world" to bar fights, player fights, and the modern day murder mystery, this rivalry has seen the good (depending on who you are rooting for), the bad and ugly.

posted by jasonspaceman to baseball at 06:04 AM - 16 comments

Larry Walker finds a dead man on his land.: Walker, on the DL for the Rockies and not a suspect according to police, found the unidentified man while driving his atv around in the wooded area of his property. Random.

posted by jerseygirl to baseball at 10:20 PM - 5 comments

Adu does: Coming on early in the second half, Freddy Adu takes advantage of sloppy defending on the part of the MetroStars and gets his left foot onto a cross from fellow rookie/Rutgers grad Joshua Gros to go net. Not a thing of beauty or majesty, and United still lost 3-2, but is this one we'll look back on in 20 yearsand say, "I saw his first?"

posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 05:18 PM - 15 comments

The baseball season got underway in earnest tonight - when the Red Sox and Yankees met at Fenway for the first of 19 games scheduled this season. Boston won 6-2 in a game which included a non-homer by Manny Ramirez, errors from Jeter and Giambi, great pitching from Tim Wakefiled for Boston, and a most annoying feature from Fox (effing 'Scooter').

posted by msacheson to baseball at 10:30 PM - 34 comments

There's just something about the playoffs that brings out the best in players, and then there's this story.

posted by garfield to hockey at 07:19 PM - 25 comments

Friday flash fun, frisbee golf style.

posted by corpse to general at 02:52 PM - 8 comments

The Sports Guy's 20 Questions: about the NBA playoffs. He may be giving his "A" material to Jimmy Kimmel, but Simmons remains the most entertaining sportswriter in the business. BTW, he picks Spurs over Pistons in a GRUELING final.

posted by dzot to basketball at 12:42 PM - 8 comments

Hedo Turkoglu is the best player in the NBA.: Thats what former Jeopardy champ Wayne Winston says. Is WINVAL really "Moneyball for the NBA"? warning: Mark Cuban & Jeff Sagarin are involved...

posted by lilnemo to basketball at 12:23 PM - 4 comments

Yesterday marked the first annual Jackie Robinson Day : celebrated in stadiums all across the league. At a time when steroid use is putting records in doubt, we should be reminded that records before 1947 are tainted as well.

posted by Jugwine to baseball at 12:13 PM - 1 comment

Tie game. Eighth inning. Bases loaded. Two outs. 45-year-old batter. 27-year-old pitcher. 100 mph heat. Strike strike foul foul foul foul foul ball ball foul foul ball boom. "The best at-bat I've ever seen in all my years of scouting," said Phillies scout Gordon Lakey.

posted by rcade to baseball at 10:14 PM - 4 comments

"I was pretty clear my first time out," Ellis says. "I was clear that my first time was going to be my last." The Dallas Observer takes a look at the oft-slighted US Olympic Skeleton Racing Crew.

posted by Ufez Jones to other at 08:01 PM - 1 comment

15th Anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.: In which 96 Liverpool football fans were crushed to death due to the incompetence of the South Yorkshire Police. The Guardian has some very moving personal accounts, both from a Liverpool and Forest angle. You'll never walk alone.

posted by squealy to soccer at 12:31 PM - 3 comments

Baseblogs: - Obsessive fans track the national pastime on the Web. Nothing new here, but a good listing of the some of the better baseball blogs.

posted by corpse to baseball at 07:56 AM - 1 comment

Faking It.: At lot was made about Mike Ribeiro's acting a couple of days ago in the Montreal / Boston series. Now Montreal's Alexei Kovalev bascially cost the Canandian's a playoff series because he was trying to draw a penalty in double overtime. How bad was it? His own teammates are saying things like this... "I guess he got slashed. Maybe. But do you stop playing?". I know everyone wants to win, but why is it that some players always try to get the upper hand by fooling the referee.

posted by camcanuck to hockey at 12:33 PM - 25 comments

Soccer vs Baseball.: Forbes shows soccer is winning in the US and the world, at least in terms of the numbers. Soccer trumps baseball in # of people actually playing the sport in the US, worldwide viewership, and pro team franchise value, revenue and profits. There's also a poll at the end of the article that asks: "How soon (if ever) will soccer surpass baseball's popularity in the U.S.?" Right now, "Never" is leading "Perhaps eventually, but not in the foreseeable future" by 347 votes (31%) to 253 votes (23%). What's your take?

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 12:08 PM - 33 comments

Tiger's at boot camp...: "My dad got to know a a few 'high-ups' during his time in the service and he was able to swing it for me to spend five days with a unit. " Yeah, without Earl's influence, you wouldn't have stood a chance of such special treatment.

posted by JJ to golf at 10:16 AM - 6 comments

NBA rules Bob Sura's third straight triple-double illegal: citing a field goal attempt as "a player's attempt to shoot the ball into the basket for a field goal" and therefore, no tenth rebound is awarded. At least he was shooting at his own basket.

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 02:24 PM - 13 comments

With the Nuggets clinching their first playoff bid since '95, the debate can truly begin now: who is Rookie of the Year? Carmelo (stats) or LeBron (stats)? Bonus material: Just how good is this year's rookie class?

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 10:26 AM - 29 comments

As the hyperbolic hub-hub surrounding the Grand National once again swells to a hysterical crescendo, I think it's time that someone stated the simple truth - horse racing is rubbish.

posted by BigCalm to other at 08:11 AM - 7 comments

'To play one innings of such magnitude is enough to put you high in the list of all-time greats but to produce two is one of the most remarkable achievements in sport.': Nearly ten years ago in Antigua, Brian Lara scored the highest ever innings in Test cricket, breaking a mark set 36 years previously. Yesterday, on the same ground, he reclaimed that record from Australia's Matthew Hayden, becoming the first batsman to score 400 in a Test, in a knock that lasted 732 minutes against a previously dominant England bowling attack. Since cricket doesn't get much of a mention here, I thought it was worthy of a post. But I'm also interested how people think single-game achievements such as Lara's compare to lifetime and single-season records such as those of Barry Bonds: is sporting greatness defined better by single performances or by the entirety of one's career?

posted by etagloh to other at 02:40 AM - 12 comments

Bonds ties Mays; Hits 660th.

posted by jerseygirl to baseball at 05:02 PM - 6 comments

The Shawn Kemp comeback:: The Oklahoma Storm of the USBL have announced the signing of former six-time NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp. Those of you with keen memories may remember the Oklahoma Storm as the team that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar briefly coached.

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 04:50 PM - 5 comments

Swingers Club.: According to this article in the latest Wired magazine, golfers are improving their scores by playing video games, on hundred-dollar systems as well as full-blown $50K simulators (which incidentally use pretty much the same software as the hundred-dollar home systems, with a few enhancements). Has this worked for you?

posted by worldcup2002 to golf at 12:30 PM - 6 comments

Kobe Playing Mind Games?: - Kobe hoists one shot in the first half of a pivotal game against a hated rival after being accused of shooting too much in previous games. He finishes 3-13 for 8 points in a 102-85 loss to Sacramento. What's going on? Is this:

A. Kobe was shackled by the previously horrible King's defense.
B. Kobe was tired of hearing how he shot too much, so he decided to turn the tables on the anti-Kobe's.
C. Early free-agency value benchmark?
D. Wanted to prove that he (not Shaq, Karl, or Gary) is the Lakers biggest superstar.
E. If you don't like the way I play, I'll take my ball and go home whining.

Does this spell disaster for the Lakers, or are they destined to win regardless? Or were they going to lose anyway?

posted by jmevius to basketball at 10:30 AM - 39 comments

The Prize at the Seventh Fort: alleges that Lithuanian basketball players in 1941 were given the right to shoot Jews as a reward for winning an exhibition match against German soldiers.

posted by smithers to other at 07:02 AM - 1 comment

"Daddy won! Can you believe it?":
Yes, Phil, we can. The Masters again provides one of the most exciting finishes in golf as Mickelson rims his last putt (but it goes in this time) to win by a single stroke over the Big Easy.

posted by grum@work to golf at 05:34 PM - 18 comments

Bling!: The Florida Marlins unveil their World Series rings. These 3½-ounce behemoths are packed with 229 diamonds and include the name, number and position/title of each player or coach, the team's regular-season record, their postseason series wins an a picture of the World Series trophy.

posted by gspm to baseball at 07:23 AM - 8 comments

APB - Anybody But Phil!: America's most lovable loser Phil Mickelson heads into the final day of the Masters with a share of the lead. But not everybody will be rooting for him whole-heartedly. "Without rain, there is no rainbow. Without darkness, there is no light. Without Phil going 0-for-47 in majors, there is no punch line."

posted by gspm to golf at 06:34 AM - 6 comments

Ouch.

posted by rcade to other at 08:01 PM - 13 comments

The pinnacle of two wheeled performance.: MotoGP bikes. Weighing in at less than 150 kilos and producing over 200 horsepower. Wrap yourself in leather, hold on, and hope nothing bad happens.

posted by rodgerd to other at 06:39 PM - 1 comment

MAO: Athletics Nation starts a list of Most Annoying Opponent (for A's fans, but you can fill in the blanks). Who is the one opponent, in any sport, that makes you flip off the TV?

posted by dusted to culture at 05:46 PM - 38 comments

Could this be the year?: The best record in all of Major League Baseball belongs to the Housecats. Meow. Not many gave them much chance this year. Is it the magic touch of Ivan Rodriguez? What's gonna happen when they play a good team? (At posting time, they are behind 3-0 in the 6th to Minn.)

posted by deadcowdan to baseball at 01:32 PM - 19 comments

Decline in baseball salaries: : It looks like some players might have to sell the vacation home in Palm Springs. Poor bastards. Maybe taking up a collection is in order?

posted by sixpacker to baseball at 11:09 AM - 7 comments

The Epic of Maguire University.: The touching story of a Chicago bar that hoodwinked the NCAA.

posted by Joey Michaels to basketball at 08:25 PM - 3 comments

MoneyBall for the NBA?: Cuban comes up with some stats that he thinks would have the greatest impact on success. Basketball, as fast paced as it is, would be a tough sport to accumulate these stats.

posted by jasonspaceman to basketball at 10:08 AM - 11 comments

NIT is to sue the NCAA.: Organizers of the NIT are suing because they think the NCAA violates anti-trust laws by requiring teams to compete in the NCAA basketball tournament, if invited.

posted by jasonspaceman to basketball at 08:51 AM - 3 comments

LIVE! Arsenal v Chelsea (Champions League quarterfinal, 2nd leg).: New English Premier League record holders (30 games unbeaten and still counting) and heirs apparent, Arsenal, take on London neighbors Chelsea in a bid to salvage their season (just joking, Gunners fans). A win here will take the Arsenal into the CL semi-finals, keeping them on course for an EPL and CL double. After their FA Cup semifinal loss to Man U this weekend ended their treble hopes, Arsenal will have extra incentive to make punching bags of their city rivals. Chelsea, the only other team who can also complete the EPL and CL double, are poised to strike a telling blow, with the tie poised at 1-1 from the first leg.

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 12:49 PM - 39 comments

Clyde glides in to the Basketball Hall of Fame.: To be inducted this fall, Clyde, member of the Phi Slamma Jamma fraternity, says he is going in as a Blazer, where he put up impressive stats, and was an all star eight times with no championships. He got his title in 1995 with the Rockets and Olajuwon. Other career highlights include being a member of the original Olympic Dream Team, making alot of drinking enthusiasts, well, drunk.

posted by jasonspaceman to basketball at 11:31 AM - 3 comments

What's for dinner tonight? Defending Master's Champion Mike Weir has chosen the menu. The biggest golf tourney of them all starts Thursday and runs through Sunday. Predictions? Oh...can't forget Martha!

posted by vito90 to golf at 08:51 AM - 36 comments

The monkey has made her picks!:
Maggie has once again made her NHL playoff picks. Famous for her psychic ability to pick the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to get to the Stanley Cup finals (defying all the experts each round), she's now a part of the annual playoff preview show. Thankfully, she's picked the Leafs in the first round. Whew!

posted by grum@work to hockey at 08:37 AM - 16 comments

Break up the Bombers: The Yankees on Trial. ESPN will air it's second mock trial on Thursday, April 8. (The first was last year's trial of Pete Rose.)

posted by goddam to baseball at 08:25 PM - 26 comments

Tiger Woods has made some changes to his game face.

posted by rcade to golf at 06:57 PM - 8 comments

Did you ever wonder when fantasy sports games would go out of control?: Well...wonder no more...

posted by MeatSaber to other at 12:16 PM - 8 comments

Will Athens Olympics be a Greek tragicomedy?: The SF Chronicle's Scott Ostler takes the mickey out of Athen's preparations (or lag or lack thereof) for the upcoming Summer Olympics. Security: "We have to worry about terrorism, especially because Athens is freeway close to many of the world's bad-guy headquarters." Stadium construction: "Of the 12 on the map, eight venues still are under construction. ... Construction has lagged behind schedule because of strikes, work stoppages and the fact that Athens wasn't chosen for a makeover on "Queer Eye for the Olympic Host City. ... The marathon route is said to be clogged with construction debris, and the running surface is not ready." How much of this is true? Is it really this bad? There's not been much news and it's only four months away. What's the truth behind the laughs?

posted by worldcup2002 to other at 11:32 AM - 12 comments

When Chris Duhon made a pointless 38-footer at the end of UConn's Final Four victory over Duke, he affected millions of dollars wagered on the game's 2- to 3-point spread. At one Costa Rican online sportsbook alone, the shot turned a $290,000 loss into a $340,000 profit for the house.

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:38 PM - 10 comments

The Boys of Spring.: A look back at the 1984 Mets, full of hope and promise. (sigh)

posted by Prince Valium to baseball at 10:33 AM - 2 comments

50 Sporting Things You Must Do Before You Die.

posted by gspm to general at 06:54 AM - 12 comments

Leafs give Senators the beat down of the year.: While the rest of us were watching basketball, some hockey team in Ottawa got their asses handed to them, to the tune of 6-0. Senators fans, are you gonna wear your "Leafs Suck" t-shirts tomorrow?

posted by molafson to hockey at 09:37 PM - 21 comments

Do you save your urine?: Apparently, someone at the testing lab does, because the test samples of Barry Bonds and six other athletes implicated in the BALCO case are still around. Is it right to go back and look for THG when it wasn't even banned at the time the samples were taken?

posted by wfrazerjr to baseball at 08:24 PM - 7 comments

St; Joseph's finally get the respect they so desperately wanted?: Nelson and Martelli win AP Player and Coach of the Year honors, respectively. Jameer Nelson taking POY with 55 first place votes to Emeka Okafor's 14. Of course, they had to accept their awards in Philly not San Antonio.

posted by YukonGold to basketball at 01:52 PM - 0 comments

"our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Don Mattingly": An idiot April Fool's Day prank goes too far (there's always one each year) and Don Mattingly's 12 and 16 year old kids are shocked when they hear in school from their classmates that their father has passed away... Mattingly, his wife and their son (a minor league yankee) were all in Japan with the team at the time.

posted by jerseygirl to baseball at 12:21 PM - 6 comments

What language will get you red carded?: Language mapping for referees. Apparently this is serious. Does this map match your mind map of offensive language? Happy Friday, you f*** t**** s***! [via BoingBoing]

posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 10:33 AM - 8 comments

Kelsey Martin is a high school softball star. : She's also an honor student, class president, and "plays basketball as a volunteer for a community group that involves developmentally disabled men and women" -- despite having been born with "a left arm that ends just below the elbow."

posted by jeffmshaw to culture at 08:56 AM - 4 comments

After a blow-up with his manager, Milton Bradley will likely be traded by Sunday.: Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro has discussed a deal with eight teams, four or five of which have made serious offers for the talented and mercurial outfielder. Interested parties are thought to be the Pirates, Dodgers, Rangers, A's and Mets. TSN's Ken Rosenthal also lists the White Sox, Giants, Expos and Royals as possible suitors, and many (i.e., me) would add the Mariners. Is this a case of a head case becoming someone else's problem, or a chance to acquire a top-tier player on the cheap?

posted by jeffmshaw to baseball at 10:41 PM - 37 comments

The industry's in the shitter,: says boxing promoter Lou DiBella, who "spends about $50,000 a year on steaks, hoping to entice boxing writers to cover his fighters." But this Columbia Journalism Review article says "boxing is elemental, and fighters still have great stories to tell."

posted by kirkaracha to boxing at 09:48 PM - 2 comments

Pretty interesting take-down: of SportsCenter from Slate.

"It's strange that ESPN added Dream Job to its lineup since they already have a show in which aspirants compete, with an irritating surfeit of eagerness and theatrical sarcasm, to capture the singular vibe of Dan and Keith. It's called SportsCenter."

posted by holden to general at 02:44 PM - 14 comments

Annoyed by the MSN-affiliated, animation-laden, Zubaz-inspired ESPN.com? There's a lite version.

posted by trharlan to general at 02:14 PM - 9 comments

"The Mets, desperate for anything to celebrate, are commemorating Shea Stadium's 40th birthday with a sleeve patch. The patch features those tacky neon batter and pitcher figurines, which is the design equivalent of signing Mo Vaughn instead of Vlad Guerrero—a typical misstep for a franchise that can't do anything right lately."

While we wait for opening day in the Western hemisphere Slate reviews the new batch of uniform tweaks.

posted by gspm to baseball at 01:07 PM - 2 comments

NFL to overturn Owens deal: and send him back to the Niners.

posted by mr_crash_davis to football at 12:25 PM - 7 comments

Coach Fitz's Management Theory: (Subscription but well worth it) Michael Lewis writes a great piece in the NY Times about his New Orleans high school baseball/basketball coach. Some quotes from how alumni (even Peyton Manning) view him, and his current treatment by the parents of the kids he coaches. My apologies if this has been posted already, but I wanted to make sure it got on here.

posted by usfbull to general at 10:47 AM - 4 comments

ESPN is reporting the Raptors' GM, Glen Grunwald, has been fired. No link yet.

posted by lew to basketball at 09:47 AM - 5 comments

Al Secord is interviewed on his career as a hockey pugilist. Whether you like the rougher parts of the game or not, his comments show the human side of the enforcer's role and bring to light some of the weird set of rules that hockey fighters live by.

A good read for non-hockey fans who wonder about the people who are involved int the uglier parts of the sport.

posted by Samsonov14 to hockey at 12:52 AM - 8 comments