12/21/24
Archives for August 2010
August 31, 2010
Longhorn coach Mack Brown believes Vince Young deserves 2005 Heisman. : "I think you have to go back and really give that choice to the Heisman Trust. If they take it away, I think Vince should be awarded the trophy . . . Vince was second in the voting, so even if they re-voted I would like to see Vince get it,"
posted by sgtcookzane to football at 11:36 PM - 3 comments
European Ryder Cup Team Finalised: In addition to the 9 qualifiers, European captain Colin Montgomerie selected Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari, who finished birdie-birdie-birdie to win by a shot at Gleneagles on Sunday, and whose brother Francesco is one of the 9 automatic selections. How do you like the look of the team? [more inside, including some incredibly spurious use of numbers]
posted by JJ to golf at 06:19 PM - 6 comments
CEOs with headsets: College coaches make a lot of money, who knew?
posted by kokaku to general at 02:52 PM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 17 comments
August 30, 2010
Remember this guy?: Jim Weber from Yahoo Sports catches up with former Nebraska Cornhusker Heisman quarterback Eric Crouch.
posted by sgtcookzane to football at 10:35 PM - 1 comment
Cheating Allegations Rock LPGA: Two players who were disqualified from the CN Canadian Women’s Open have been accused of conspiring to cheat. The allegations were made by longtime Tour caddie Larry Smich, who said that Shi Hyun Ahn and Il Mi Chung tried to cover up playing the wrong balls on the last hole on Thursday. Here’s what he wrote in his blog: "Here is what I’ve heard of the alleged incident. Both balls were in the fairway. Ahn missed the green and Ilmi hit hers on. Ahn chipped it close and tapped in for par. This is where it all begins. Apparently, Ahn noticed that this was not her ball and conversed in Korean with Ilmi. In the mean time, at least one caddie in the group noticed it also but did not say anything. They finished the hole, went to the scoring tent, checked the scores and signed their cards. Somewhere, either before or after going to the tent, Ahn told her caddie (a Nationwide looper and only working for her this week) “You did not see anything”. As of right now, I do not know who owned up and went to the officials. The third player in the group was oblivious to the situation and was not involved. BTW, Ahn shot 72 and Chung a 76."
posted by tommytrump to golf at 10:34 PM - 6 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 10: We've got a healthy dose of revenge football heading into the Labour Day matchups. Get yer axes ground and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 09:31 PM - 27 comments
Feller in Treatment for Leukemia: Bob Feller, the third-oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame at age 91, is being treated for leukemia and says he's "feeling better than I have in weeks." Signed for $1 and an autographed baseball as a 17-year-old in 1936, Feller's younger than 92-year-olds Lee McPhail and Bobby Doerr.
Manny Ramirez Ejected After Seeing One Pitch: The final act of Manny Ramirez's Los Angeles Dodgers career was to be ejected one pitch into a pinch hit appearance with the bases loaded. Ramirez argued balls and strikes with plate umpire Gary Cederstrom. Manager Joe Torre, after yelling at Ramirez, "came back in and apologized" later. "I'm totally disappointed in the way Cederstrom reacted," he said. Ramirez is headed to the Chicago White Sox.
posted by rcade to baseball at 06:43 PM - 38 comments
Bowden Used Coaching to 'Witness' to Players: Former Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden told a Baptist newspaper that it was his duty as coach to share his Christian faith with all his players. "I'd rather be spiritually correct than governmentally correct," said Bowden. "I felt like it was my job to witness to every player I coached."
posted by rcade to football at 05:39 PM - 22 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 24 comments
August 29, 2010
Decisions Are Never Easy: Growing up Ben Garland had two dreams, being a pilot in the Air Force and playing football for the Denver Broncos. Now he is forced to choose between the two.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia to football at 11:12 PM - 7 comments
Pakistan Cricketers Accused of Match Fixing: At least four members of the Pakistan cricket team were involved in cheating during the current Test match against England, News of the World reports. Video released by the paper shows meetings between an undercover reporter and alleged match fixer Mazhar Majeed, who said in advance that bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif would deliver three blatant no-balls at a specific point in the match. "I'm very wary speaking about this simply because I don't know you guys," Majeed told the reporter, but later said, "I've been doing it with them, the Pakistani team, for about 2 1/2 years. And we've made masses and masses of money." An article from CricInfo explains the practice of spot fixing, "getting players/officials to act in a specified predefined manner at a particular time or during a particular session of a match, with or without adversely affecting the overall outcome of the game."
posted by rcade to other at 07:32 PM - 8 comments
McEnroe: Women Should Play Fewer Tournaments: John McEnroe said women aren't cut out to play as many tournaments as they're being asked to play. "There should be less events for women," McEnroe said in a conference call before the U.S. Open, which starts Monday. "You need an actual meltdown on court or someone to quit the game altogether before they realize you need to change the schedule."
posted by rcade to tennis at 05:32 PM - 5 comments
13-Year-Old Racer Killed in Motorcycle Wreck at Indy: Peter Lenz, a 13-year-old motorcycle racer, died Sunday after falling off his bike and being run over by another motorcycle at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Lenz had been racing since age 5 and was one of the youngest ever racers in his sport. He was leading in the USGPRU's MD250H class at the time of his death. "He passed doing what he loved and had his go fast face on as he pulled onto the track," his dad wrote on his Facebook page. Last year, Lenz discussed racing in a video while recuperating from a severed radial nerve and broken leg and arm suffered in a crash.
posted by rcade to other at 05:31 PM - 33 comments
Russian Goalie Can't Stop 70-Meter Shot: Rubin Kazan keeper Sergei Ryzhikov gave up one of the most nightmarish goals of all time to Spartak Nalchik defender Milan Jovanovic yesterday in the Russian Premier League.
posted by rcade to soccer at 04:27 PM - 9 comments
Couture makes short work of boxer Toney: As almost everyone expected, mixed martial arts legend Randy Couture dominated and then defeated boxer James Toney at UFC 118, causing the heavyweight boxing champion to tap out with an arm triangle that choked Toney in 3:19 of the first round.
posted by sgtcookzane to boxing at 10:19 AM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
August 28, 2010
Canadian Medical Association Urges MMA Ban: The Canadian Medical Association has voted to urge the country to ban mixed martial arts. "This is an activity that leads to serious issues, including damage to people's brains, and we must speak out against that," said CMA President Anne Doig.
posted by rcade to boxing at 06:07 PM - 4 comments
A USC Fan's Perfect Day: In the '70s, USC announcer Peter Arbogast invented the concept of the Perfect Day, which is "when the Trojans win while UCLA and Notre Dame suffer losses at the same time." The last occurred Nov. 28, 2009. The tradition led other schools to define their own. What's your alma mater's Perfect Day?
posted by rcade to football at 05:43 PM - 7 comments
Learn Linguistics with Latrell Spreewell: The college textbook Relevant Linguistics contains some interesting examples: "Latrell hate-s all coaches." "Latrell like-s to choke coaches." "Latrell threaten-ed to kill PJ." "Latrell hasn't spoke-n to PJ in years."
posted by rcade to basketball at 04:34 PM - 2 comments
Unforgiven: Tony Washington, an NFL prospect, has a black mark on his record. At the age of 16, he was convicted of incest for sleeping with his then 15 year old sister, and forced to register as a sex offender. Washington feels this is the reason he is being ostracized by the NFL. (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to football at 03:24 PM - 2 comments
Yukon River Quest : A steam boat’s whistle – the Yukon version of a starter’s pistol – echoes through Rotary Park on the east side of Whitehorse. Men and women stampede across a soggy field and leap into canoes and kayaks laden with Advil and Red Bull, fanning out on the rain-spattered river as spectators shout encouragement. It's noon. The Yukon River Quest has begun.
posted by tommytrump to extreme at 01:07 PM - 0 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
August 27, 2010
Lil Wayne Hearts Tennis: Sports Illustrated asked Lil Wayne to give his taken on the upcoming U.S. Open. The hand-written response shows that Wayne is seriously geeked about the sport. "One of the main reasons I fell in love with the sport was because it is unbelievably hard to do," he wrote. "So since then I have been drawn to it because of the skill it takes to actually play."
posted by rcade to tennis at 03:56 PM - 3 comments
Stephen Strasburg likely to have 'Tommy John' surgery, may miss 2011 season: Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo announced this morning that pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg will probably require "Tommy John" elbow ligament replacement surgery. Strasburg left his last start on Saturday with what was was initially diagnosed as a strained tendon in his forearm. But on Thursday he had a second MRI exam that showed a "significant tear of his ulnar collateral ligament," according to Rizzo.
posted by BornIcon to baseball at 11:04 AM - 32 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
August 26, 2010
Colt McCoy May Be Cut in Cleveland: Cleveland Browns third round pick Colt McCoy is "on the bubble" and may be a training camp cut, the Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting. McCoy, slowed by a sprained thumb, is third on the depth chart behind Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace.
posted by rcade to football at 05:56 PM - 11 comments
Tiger Woods Shoots 65 at the Barclays: Woods turned out to be more than O.K. With seven birdies and one bogey, he shot his lowest round of the year, a seven-under par 65 that put him in a tie for the early lead of the tournament with Vaughn Taylor
posted by BornIcon to golf at 04:07 PM - 10 comments
An entire soap opera plays out in a mile.: (via MeFi)
posted by NoMich to other at 07:57 AM - 13 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
August 25, 2010
I really should workout more: Slow-mo captures of WTA pros hitting different shots. Soundtrack by Philip Glass' disappointing nephew.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey to tennis at 08:06 PM - 18 comments
Marlins Hid Profits to Land Public-Funded Stadium: The Florida Marlins turned a $37.8 million profit at the same time they were negotiating a sweetheart stadium deal with Miami and Miami-Dade County by claiming they were going broke, according to financial documents published by Deadspin. Taxpayers are paying almost $500 million of the stadium's $642 million cost, yet all revenue it generates will go to the team. "They took us for a ride," said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez.
posted by rcade to baseball at 06:54 PM - 5 comments
Rice Has Hip Surgery, Vikes Hurting: Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice has undergone hip surgery and could miss the first half of the season or longer. With fellow wideout Percy Harvin struggling with migraines, the Vikes are running low on targets for quarterback Brett Favre and signed his former Green Bay Packers teammate Javon Walker.
posted by rcade to football at 05:40 PM - 3 comments
Gailey Yells at Heckling Fans: Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey confronted fans in Rochester, N.Y., who were heckling quarterback Trent Edwards and other players during the team's training camp. "If you dog one of us, you dog all of us," Gailey yelled at the fans, informing them his players were told to sign no autographs in that section.
posted by rcade to football at 04:29 PM - 2 comments
NFL Sunday Ticket Will Be Available Online: The NFL Sunday Ticket package, long available only on DirecTV, can be bought online next month for $350. DirecTV, which pays the NFL $1 billion annually for the package, agreed to provide web subscriptions when the deal was renewed last year.
posted by rcade to football at 03:29 PM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 16 comments
August 24, 2010
Sports Book Signings:: The good, the bad and the equine (?).
Shoal Creek Lands Champions Tour Major: Twenty years ago, Shoal Creek Country Club in Birmingham, Ala., almost lost the PGA Championship because the club only had white members. "I think we've said that we don't discriminate in every other area except the blacks," founder Hal Thompson said about his club's membership policies, a remark for which he later apologized. For the first time since then, Shoal Creek has landed a pro golf tournament. The Champions Tour will play the Tradition there in May 2011. Shoal Creek has three black members today, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Hal's son Mike Thompson has invited more than a dozen others. "Shoal Creek is just like Birmingham. Once there was total segregation. Then there was the appearance of inclusion," said James Lewis, publisher of the local black newspaper Birmingham Times. "Now there's real inclusion." (Ten years earlier, publisher Jesse Lewis said this: "Shoal Creek has not changed in the last 10 years and will not change in the next 20 years," Lewis said. "Shoal Creek is always going to be Shoal Creek.")
posted by rcade to golf at 05:20 PM - 3 comments
Johnny Damon Claimed by Red Sox: Now that he's been claimed by the Boston Red Sox on waivers, Johnny Damon is deciding whether to waive his no-trade clause and make a deal to move or stay with the Detroit Tigers. "This is probably as tough of a decision for me as it was to leave Boston for New York," said Damon. The teams have 48 hours after the claim to make a deal.
posted by rcade to baseball at 04:07 PM - 11 comments
Toronto Sportswriter: Is Jose Bautista Cheating?: Jose Bautista's numbers this season raise the question of whether the Toronto Blue Jays slugger is chemically enhanced, Toronto Star sports editor Damien Cox suggests in a blog post. "How is it exactly that at the age of 29 he's suddenly become the most dangerous power hitter in baseball?" he asks. "This is a player, don't forget, who never hit 20 homers before in a Major League season." He has 40 this season along with 95 RBI and a .600 slugging percentage.
posted by rcade to baseball at 03:20 PM - 7 comments
10 Fringe Athletes to Follow on Twitter: The urinary infection site SteadyBurn has compiled a list of the "new athletes out there worth following who, despite showing promise on Twitter, remain obscure, non-mainstream [or] questionably professional." Among them: The Iron Sheik. "friday i am in the chicago," he tweets. "I need to party with the best chicago people. fuck the hulk hogan."
Only 14 FBS Schools Made Money on Sports: A new NCAA report finds that only 14 of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools made money from campus athletics in the 2009 fiscal year, down from 25 the previous year. Sixty-eight FBS schools turned a profit on football, while 52 lost money. No school without football made money. "Football and men's basketball are the only two sports you have any chance of making money," said the leader researcher, Dan Fulks of Transylvania University.
posted by rcade to football at 01:38 PM - 13 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments
CFL Pick 'em, Week 9: Injuries! Ineptitude! Make your Week 9 picks inside as we attempt to forget the awfulness that was Week 8!
posted by apoch to fantasy at 03:38 AM - 21 comments
August 23, 2010
19 Oregon Football Players Hospitalized After Camp: School officials, parents and players remained puzzled Sunday over what caused 19 members of a high school football team in northwest Oregon to suffer muscle damage - three of whom required surgery - following a fall camp.
posted by BoKnows to football at 03:11 PM - 6 comments
Pittsburgh Pirates make money by losing, leaked financial documents suggest:: Economist Roger Noll, a Stanford University economist, said: “Probably the Pirates would be less profitable if they tried to improve the team substantially.”
posted by rumple to baseball at 12:58 PM - 16 comments
The Hooligan Problem and the Football Violence That Just Won't Go Away.: The hooligan problem and the football violence that just won't go away. They hunt in packs, fuelled by cocaine, hooked on violence and occasionally wielding chains. Some are as old as 65. They use mobile phones and the internet to arrange showdowns with rival "firms" at agreed locations away from prying CCTV cameras and police surveillance. This is the profile of the 21st-century football hooligan, a breed of "fan" who, although decreasing in numbers and visibility, is recognised by the football authorities and police as never having gone away. (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to soccer at 10:22 AM - 4 comments
"This will be the last time I put on a uniform. It's been very special to me.": After half a century as player, coach and manager, Lou Piniella retires from baseball.
posted by lil_brown_bat to baseball at 10:20 AM - 7 comments
Juli Inkster Disqualified After TV Viewer Reports Violation: A fan watching the LPGA's Safeway Classic on television Saturday helped to deny Juli Inkster a chance to become the oldest player in the history of the women's tour to win a tournament. Inkster, a Hall of Famer, was disqualified for using a weighted device to warm up on the Ghost Creek Course in North Plains, Ore.
posted by BornIcon to golf at 10:11 AM - 14 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments
August 22, 2010
Is there fantasy football?: Anyone running an NFL fantasy league this year? Any interest?
posted by lil_brown_bat to fantasy at 02:03 PM - 33 comments
What happened to losing? : In the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, Neil Swidley (author of The Assist) discusses the emergence of non-scoring leagues in youth sports, the problems they attempt to solve, and whether they are successful.
posted by lil_brown_bat to general at 01:43 PM - 11 comments
Expert: Clemens is Going Directly to Jail: New York City attorney Robert Becker lays out the case for why Roger Clemens is going to prison: "To conclude otherwise would be to conclude that there is a reasonable possibility that [Brian] McNamee and [Andy] Pettitte (and his wife) lied under oath, despite the fact that the Pettittes had no reason to do so, and that McNamee told the truth about Pettitte and [Chuck] Knoblauch but lied under oath about Clemens, and that Pettitte and McNamee lied about their two conversations with each other, and that B12 shots rather than steroid shots caused a large abscess in Clemens' derriere despite medical evidence to the contrary, and that Clemens' DNA and performance-enhancing drugs both ended up on McNamee's injection paraphernalia but McNamee didn't inject Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs." David Segui, who believes his grand jury testimony may have implicated Clemens, defends his former trainer for keeping evidence. "You never knew when you'll need proof," he said. "I went though a divorce. There's a whole lot of stuff I wish I kept documented."
posted by rcade to baseball at 09:26 AM - 55 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
August 21, 2010
Las Vegas in Talks with American League Team: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said the city has been in discussions with an American League team about relocating. "I'm not going to tell you that it's imminent, but I'm going to tell you that the people who are participating in the discussions are very serious about seeing that happen," said Goodman, who refused to name the team.
posted by rcade to baseball at 05:19 PM - 17 comments
Cleveland Still Trashing Its Ex: If LeBron James is making mental notes about the people taking shots at him, he should consider adding Mike Polk, a Cleveland comedian known for his viral Hastily Produced Cleveland Tourism Video.
posted by rcade to basketball at 04:00 PM - 8 comments
Talk to Pat O'Brien on the Phone: Former CBS and NBC broadcaster Pat O'Brien is returning to the air with an afternoon show on Fox Sports Radio. O'Brien, who told USA Today reporter Michael Hiestand that he's 665 days sober as of Friday, said that his infamous series of sexually detailed voicemail messages to a woman in 2005 were "from a night when I blacked out from drinking."
No More Umpire Picks in NFL: The NFL is moving the umpire from the defensive backfield to the offensive backfield, removing a strategic pick from wide receivers on crossing routes and an irritating obstacle on other plays. The umps only will be in their old position on field goal attempts and the last two minutes of each half. The impetus for the change: Umpires were run into more than 100 times last season, three sustained concussions and two more needed surgery for their injuries.
posted by rcade to football at 08:02 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
August 20, 2010
Greece, Serbia brawl at the Acropolis : Serbia basketball player Nenad Krstic, a centre with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, was released Friday after being held in police custody overnight following a remarkable brawl during a match with Greece. The last game of the Acropolis tournament was abandoned with 2:40 to go and Greece leading by one point when the fight broke out. Krstic grabbed Greece forward Antonis Fotsis by the throat and threw a chair toward Sofoklis Schortsanitis, who was pursuing him. The chair hit Yannis Bouroussis, who had not played in the game because of a hand injury, and left him with blood trickling from a wound on the side of his head. The incident occurred just a week before the basketball world championship in Turkey, where both teams will play.
posted by tommytrump to basketball at 05:28 PM - 1 comment
One Man Decides NBA Schedule: For the past 24 years, each season's NBA schedule has been the work of one man, league vice president Matt Winick. "There's a computer program I work with that helps," he said. "But basically it's me -- and the computer prevents me from doing stupid things. ... I guess I have a job nobody else wants."
posted by rcade to basketball at 01:47 PM - 5 comments
FightFootball: A Sport Where Roughness is Necessary: The new sport of Fight Football is the answer to the question, "Sure, I love mixed martial arts, but why don't they form teams and pass a soccer ball around with their hands trying to get it into a goal net?" The Italians who have started the sport explain how it works: "In the FFL the objective is to score goal, however, players are aloud to fight their opponents using several fighting techniques." Skip ahead to 12:20 to see a sample of play (via MiddleEasy.Com).
posted by rcade to other at 09:05 AM - 8 comments
August 19, 2010
posted by yerfatma to baseball at 01:39 PM - 20 comments
Bull Leaps into Crowd in Spain, Injures 40: A 1,100-pound bull leapt into the packed grandstands of a Spanish bullring Wednesday, charging and trampling spectators and leaving 40 people injured. The incident "occurred at an event where young people try to get a bull to charge at them so they can dodge it," AP reports.
posted by rcade to other at 12:02 PM - 13 comments
Paper: BYU Going Independent: Brigham Young is leaving the Mountain West Conference and will become an independent in football, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Wednesday. BYU's other sports will go back to the Western Athletic Conference. The move is based on the private school's belief that it can generate more revenue on its own TV network and help the Mormon church, Dan Wetzel writes. "Whether the Cougars can get enough name opponents to play them as this trend toward competitive cowardice continues is a major question mark."
posted by rcade to football at 08:38 AM - 7 comments
Derek Lee headed to Atlanta: Braves trade 3 pitching prospects for Cubs 1st baseman.
posted by sgtcookzane to baseball at 08:27 AM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 11 comments
August 18, 2010
Nationals Sign Bryce Harper at Deadline: The Washington Nationals agreed to a contract with No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Harper just before Monday's deadline. Dubbed "Baseball's Chosen One" at age 16 last year by Sports Illustrated, Harper left high school two years early to prepare for this payday -- a rookie record $9.9 million, five-year deal. As a sign of how far the Nats have to go despite signing Harper and pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg last year, the team is described as "only eighth-worst among 30 major league clubs" in the linked AP story.
Roger Federer's William Tell Shot Goes Viral: After shooting a commercial for Gillette, tennis star Roger Federer twice knocked a bottle off a man's head with a tennis serve, a video that's been shared on YouTube by the company. The video could be phony viral marketing like the water slide stunt, but Federer's web site says it's legit.
posted by rcade to tennis at 05:21 PM - 9 comments
Dungy not thrilled with Ryan's potty mouth: NFL commissioner Roger Goddell should talk to New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan about his swearing, former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy said on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday. Fans and some media members have also commented on Ryan's command of the language, but Ryan said last week he only cared he disappointed his mother, Doris, and apologized if he offended "more people than I usually offend."
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 02:52 PM - 18 comments
A Collection of Broken Bat Baseball Cards: via
posted by rumple to baseball at 11:12 AM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 23 comments
August 17, 2010
LeBron Doesn't Vant to Be Alone: J.R. Moehringer followed LeBron James closely in the weeks leading up to the "Decision" debacle for a profile in the current GQ. He thinks the primary motivation behind the unprecedented free agent collusion was James' discomfort at going it alone. "It seems pretty clear that Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh aren't just the best talent he can surround himself with, but they're a combination of talent and friends," Moehringer said in an interview. "He's at his best when he has his brothers in arms around him and he's at his worst when he's completely alone."
posted by rcade to basketball at 07:37 PM - 4 comments
Gators Cap Costs Razorbacks Reporter Her Job: A radio reporter for a sports station devoted to the Arkansas Razorbacks has been fired after wearing a Florida Gators baseball cap during a press conference with Razorbacks head coach Bobby Petrino. Renee Gork, a Florida alumnus working for KAKS, said she wore the hat by mistake. "This radio station is Hog Sports Radio," said her now former boss Dan Storrs. "We are very biased."
posted by rcade to football at 06:18 PM - 29 comments
Liverpool Keeper Fumbles Ball into Goal: Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina began his Premiership season in nightmarish fashion, herding a goal back into his own net in the 90th minute to give visiting Arsenal a 1-1 draw. See the video.
posted by rcade to soccer at 04:26 PM - 6 comments
Shot heard 'round the world; Bobby Thomson dies at 86: Bobby Thomson, the New York Giants hero who hit what is arguably the most famous home run of all time, died Monday night at the age of 86 in his Savannah, Georgia home. Thomson's "shot heard 'round the world" won the 1951 National League pennant for the Giants in a best-of-three playoff against their crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers.
posted by BornIcon to baseball at 03:42 PM - 5 comments
Michigan High School Practices at Midnight for Ramadan: A Dearborn, Mich., high school football team is holding preseason practices in the middle of the night to help its Muslim players observe Ramadan without daylight eating or drinking. The Fordson High team is predominantly Muslim. "It feels really great," said player Adnan Restum, who has been fasting since he was about 10. "If we're doing it during the day, we wouldn't have water and it would be really hot and everything."
posted by rcade to football at 01:07 PM - 88 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 8: Heading into the bye week, it's a wide-open race, both in our standings and in any location that is not north or west of Calgary. Flunk fifth-grade geography again and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 09:35 AM - 21 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
August 16, 2010
Palmeiro: My Steroid Use was Accidental: Rafael Palmeiro -- one of only four players in history with 500 home runs and 3,000 hits -- has discussed his positive test for the anabolic steroid stanozolol in 2005 with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "It was an accidental, unintentional deal on my part, and I take full responsibility for that," said Palmeiro, who maintains that he he took a tainted shot of vitamin B12 from the Dominican Republic. Palmeiro will be on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year. "I never played baseball for the Hall of Fame," he said. "I played baseball because, as a kid, I loved playing baseball."
posted by rcade to baseball at 06:46 PM - 4 comments
ESPN: Umps Miss 1-in-5 Close Calls: After reviewing every umpire's call in the 184 Major League games from June 29 to July 11, except for balls and strikes, ESPN's Outside the Lines has determined that 1.3 calls per game were close enough to require replay review and the umps were wrong 20.4 percent of the time. "Fans need to feel good about the fact that we're going to try to get the call right," said Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, one of many baseball luminaries contacted on the subject.
posted by rcade to baseball at 05:24 PM - 18 comments
Galaxy Defeat Red Bulls in Star-Studded Game: The Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the New York Red Bulls 1-0 Saturday night in a showcase of the league's newest marquee stars. Edson Buddle scored the goal in the 10th minute for the Galaxy. "We've heard a lot of talk about the New York Red Bulls over the last month, and we wanted to reiterate to people who the best team in the league is," said Galaxy star Landon Donovan. The growing popularity of the MLS is leading to a loosening of the purse strings to put more stars like the Red Bulls' Thierry Henry on teams. Author Clemente Lisi asks, "MLS will without a doubt be a better product with more Designated Players, but at what price?" (A retiring MLS star, wonder goal scorer Clint Mathis, was honored at the game.)
posted by rcade to soccer at 02:46 PM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
August 15, 2010
Martin Kaymer Wins Wild P.G.A.: Kaymer won it in a 3-hole playoff over Bubba Watson by avoiding golfing disaster better than anyone else. Kaymer, the 25-year-old from Germany, seemed like the only one of the first-time major contenders who was not undone by nerves and swirling winds that appeared ready to tackle all who dared to win the tournament. Dustin Johnson needed only to par 18 to win, but sent his drive right of the fairway, his second shot into the rough over the green and after a great chip shot, missed a 5-foot putt that would have won it. It became worse when Johnson was ruled to have grounded his club on his second shot, which was out of a bunker. It was hard to tell it was a bunker because Johnson had hit so far into the crowd, the entire area was trampled down. The two-shot penalty knocked him out of the playoff and gave him a nightmare finish to match his United States Open flop.
posted by tommytrump to golf at 09:31 PM - 9 comments
Stafon Johnson dislocates ankle: Tennessee Titans rookie RB Stafon Johnson suffered a major setback in the third quarter of last night's pre-season game against the Seahawks, being carted off the field after dislocating his ankle following a short reception. Johnson was signed as an undrafted free agent out of USC; this is the guy who had 275 lbs. of weights crush his larynx requiring emergency surgery to save his life last year.
posted by NerfballPro to football at 05:48 PM - 2 comments
Deja Moo: Julio Aparicio became the most famous bullfighter in the world in May after he was gored through his neck by a bull. The grisly photograph appeared on front pages of newspapers around the globe. He made his comeback just a few weeks later -- and experienced the "worst hours" of his life. Der Spiegel provides a compelling account of the goring, and his return to the ring.
posted by rumple to other at 03:57 PM - 2 comments
49ers Running Back Quits NFL for Christ: San Francisco 49ers running back Glen Coffee, a third-round pick last year, has abruptly retired from football. "[W]hen I look back I feel I never should have entered the draft in the first place," Coffee said. "Football was no longer my dream. I found Christ in college. ... He told me a long time ago to walk away from the game."
posted by rcade to football at 01:44 PM - 38 comments
Shawn Marion's Botched Tattoo: A New York Times piece on poorly translated Hanzi-kanji tattoos reveals that Shawn Marion's leg doesn't read "The Matrix," which is his nickname. The real meaning, according to bad-tattoo blogger Tian Tang: "demon bird moth balls."
posted by rcade to basketball at 11:54 AM - 9 comments
FIFA May Eliminate World Cup Ties: FIFA will consider eliminating ties in all World Cup games, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said. The change could involve going to a shootout after 90 minutes of regulation or adding sudden-death overtime.
posted by rcade to soccer at 09:31 AM - 9 comments
Cristiano Ronaldo's Scoring Technique: Think the U.S. media is too intrusive into the personal lives of athletes? Read this first-person piece by British model (and professional publicity seeker) Jasmine Lennard in the Daily Mirror tabloid claiming a sexual relationship with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo. "This was just RIDICULOUS ... intimidatingly so," she writes. "'Oh for God's sake,' I thought, 'let's get this over with,' although I wondered how long that would take."
posted by rcade to soccer at 08:26 AM - 0 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
August 14, 2010
Lee Corso: Tebow Will Be Starting by Week 6: "I think [Tim] Tebow, by the sixth game, will be the quarterback. It will take some time for him to get in do a few things, make a mistake or two and learn from his mistakes. I think he's going to be a good quarterback." -- ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso
posted by rcade to football at 05:28 PM - 8 comments
Talking _Bad Sports_ With The Nation’s Dave Zirin: Most people love sports but hate what sports have become. We have three choices: We can take it the way it is and just drink more during games, we can stop watching altogether, or we can demand change.
posted by rumple to general at 12:05 PM - 4 comments
NFL: One 300-Pounder in 1970, 394 Today: An analysis of National Football League rosters shows the number of 300-pounders has risen dramatically from a single player in 1970, to three in 1980, 94 in 1990, 301 in 2000 and 394 in 2009. "How big is big enough and when do we stop getting bigger and think more about getting stronger and healthier and better?" asked Cincinnati Bengals nutritionist Michele Macedonio.
posted by rcade to football at 10:01 AM - 7 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
August 13, 2010
Gay umpire's ordeal shows sad state of sports: Jason Whitlock writes about Billy Van Raaphorst, an openly gay NCAA umpire who was taunted about his sexuality during an independent league game by Edmonton Capitals manager Brent Bowers.
posted by wfrazerjr to general at 11:26 PM - 19 comments
Eastern Washington Installs Red Turf: Of course our new football field is cranberry red. What do you think we are -- savages? Watch paint dry Eastern Washington University install its forearm-staining turf on its TurfCam. Hey, for a million bucks what do you expect -- something that looks like grass? (Via) (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to football at 07:10 PM - 2 comments
Be Cognizant Of Your Decisions: Over a year after Donte Stallworth hit and killed Mario Reyes with his car he prepares to return to the football field. The way Stallworth handled the accident and Reyes’ death should say something about character, and perhaps say he is someone worthy of a second chance.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia to football at 04:54 PM - 7 comments
Mets Closer Punches Fiancee's Father: New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez punched his fiancee's father outside the team's Citi Field clubhouse Wednesday night, following a loss to the Colorado Rockies. He's been suspended by the team and faces assault charges. "Rodriguez is known for his emotions on and off the mound," reports the New York Daily News.
posted by rcade to baseball at 09:40 AM - 7 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
The Baseball Fan's Final Show of Loyalty: Michigan based company Eternal Image Inc. creates urns, headstone medallions, burial vaults and MLB team logo caskets for the 'die-hard' fan. The caskets sell for $3500 and the logo-ed urns for $799. For a mere $2900 more ($4500 for a pair), you can also purchase an eternal Skybox at Beyond the Vines, a Chicago based monument adorned with original materials taken from Wrigley Field.
posted by BoKnows to baseball at 12:34 AM - 2 comments
August 12, 2010
Player Gives Up Scholarship to Help Team: Nick Sidorakis, the captain of Oklahoma State's basketball team, has voluntarily given up his full-ride scholarship so that another player won't have to be cut. The senior will play as a walk-on this season at his own expense. The team recruited four new players and all qualified, putting them one over the scholarship limit. "[H]e's showing his leadership," said Coach Travis Ford. "And this is just another way. And unexpected. He's the ultimate team guy."
posted by rcade to basketball at 06:14 PM - 10 comments
Shaq: 'I Play a Little Girl on the Internet': "For the last seven years, I've been a detective for Internet crimes against children. So if you ever see me, you know we've got you. If we come to your house, it's all over. You're going to be arrested. You've been having Internet conversations with me, and we've got all the evidence we need to take you down. ... I play a little girl on the Internet." -- Shaquille O'Neal
posted by rcade to basketball at 05:20 PM - 10 comments
Why Most Black Kids Don't Know How to Swim: A recent drowning tragedy in Shreveport, Louisiana has brought to light a startling statistic in America: a majority of black youth cannot swim. The reasons for the high percentage (almost twice that of whites) range from the legacy of slavery to segregation and lack of available swimming opportunities to fear passed down by modern parents to black women not wanting to damage their high maintenance hairstyles to the position of the belly button, according to a study (article about study, audio discussion with some of the researchers of the study). Whatever the reasons, Diversity in Aquatics aims to fix the swimming gap and the documentary Parting the Waters looks at the lack of Black and Latino competitive swimmers in the U.S. (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to other at 03:59 PM - 7 comments
Mariners Fire Manager Wakamatsu: The last-place Seattle Mariners have fired manager Don Wakamatsu. The team entered the season with postseason hopes but was 42-70 this season under Wakamatsu. Triple-A Tacoma manager Daren Brown takes over as interim skipper. Wakamatsu, the first Japanese-American manager in MLB history, was went 127-147 since his November 2008 hire.
posted by rcade to baseball at 08:49 AM - 2 comments
Jim Gray to Corey Pavin: 'You're going down': Will Tiger Woods win the PGA Championship and get a Ryder Cup berth? Who cares now? Jim Gray and Corey Pavin went at it big time after Pavin, captain of the Ryder Cup team and presumed decider on whether Woods will get a captain's-pick spot, accused Gray of misquoting him.
posted by BornIcon to golf at 08:22 AM - 11 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
August 11, 2010
Villanova's Corey Fisher May Have Scored 105 Points in a Game: In the game of basketball, the number 100 has become a milestone. With the evolution of the game, we often see teams averaging over 100 points a game and the stigma with Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point effort for the Philadelphia Warriors is still the stuff of legends. If all accounts are true, we may have reports that another Philly player has broken that mark. Villanova guard Corey Fisher has reportedly dropped 105 points in a NYC Summer League Game.
posted by BornIcon to basketball at 04:48 PM - 20 comments
Scottie Pippen picks some guy to give his induction speech: If you've never read David Halberstam's "Playing for Keeps" or Sam Smith's "The Jordan Rules" — both about the 1990s Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, duh, and both essential — then you might not know how much Michael Jordan hated Scottie Pippen early in their careers. Anyhow, now that we're all hip to the history behind the greatest duo of the 1990s, we can talk about how cool it is that Jordan will be giving the introduction speech for Pippen's Hall of Fame induction this Friday.
posted by BornIcon to basketball at 04:36 PM - 5 comments
TV Show Unites NHL Brawlers Lemieux, McCarty: Claude Lemieux and Darren McCarty had two of the most memorable fights in hockey history when playing for the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings in the '90s -- bad blood that began with Lemieux's brutal face-shattering hit on McCarty's teammate and best friend Kris Draper during the 1996 NHL playoffs. Earlier this year, Lemieux and McCarty sat down for a joint interview on the TV show Off the Record, the first time they'd ever met.
posted by rcade to hockey at 03:19 PM - 8 comments
How Not to Impress Your Girlfriend at a Baseball Game: A Houston Astros fan in the left field corner dodged a foul ball at the last second Monday night, letting it hit his girlfriend, to the delight of the game's announcers. "She's got the seam marks on her elbow," a sideline reporter told him. "[Y]ou were nowhere to be found."
posted by rcade to baseball at 02:25 PM - 24 comments
The 92nd PGA Championship starts tomorrow: returning to Whistling Straits, where Vijay Singh won in 2004. For perhaps the first time since he first played in one as a pro in 1997, Tiger Woods does not start a major as the favourite. Phil Mickelson is the bookies' choice, despite the revelation that he's been suffering from psoiatic arthritis since before the US Open. The most notable thing about the course so far? The mosquitoes.
posted by JJ to golf at 06:59 AM - 5 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
August 10, 2010
Brandon Phillips: “I hate the Cardinals, hate ‘em”: Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips fouled a ball off his shin Saturday in Chicago and missed Sunday’s game. But he was in Monday’s lineup and said, “I’d play against these guys with one leg. We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little bitches, all of ‘em.
posted by tommytrump to baseball at 08:37 PM - 25 comments
Vikings Player Will Fast During Training Camp: Minnesota Vikings backup safety Husain Abdullah will not eat or drink at all during daylight hours for 30 days beginning Wednesday, an observance of the Muslim holiday Ramadan. "I'm putting nothing before God, nothing before my religion," Abdullah said. Nine years ago, Vikings offensive tackle Korey Stringer died from heatstroke during the team's training camp. His widow Kelci continues to speak about the dangers of practicing in extreme heat without proper hydration. "It got the attention of the world," she said.
posted by rcade to football at 07:28 PM - 7 comments
Boise State Player Reveals What Steamed Duck: For the first time, Boise State junior linebacker Byron Hout has revealed what he said that made Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount feed him a knuckle sandwich after college football's 2009 season opener: "How 'bout that ass-whuppin'?" Hout said his teammates teased him mercilessly about getting knocked to the blue turf by Blount's right cross. "Everybody else besides him was laughing," junior tailback D.J. Harper said.
posted by rcade to football at 02:30 PM - 5 comments
Emmitt Smith's Bromance with Moose: The highlight of Emmitt Smith's induction speech into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday was his tribute to fullback Daryl "Moose" Johnston, who was in the audience to be thanked for the sacrifices he made during their playing days for the Dallas Cowboys. "People don't understand what it took to be a fullback in our system, the sacrifices you made not simply with your body but your whole spirit," said Smith, who was a big blubbery mess at the podium. Related link: The day Smith beat the New York Giants with one arm.
posted by rcade to football at 01:53 PM - 8 comments
Brian Cushing blames positive test on medical condition.: Texans LB Brian Cushing claims his condition triggers certain hormones when training, thus giving him a positive test for fertility drugs.
posted by sgtcookzane to football at 08:28 AM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments
The Ghost With a Hammer in His Hand: And other tales from the golden days of fairground boxing booths. Harry Pearson in The Guardian.
posted by owlhouse to boxing at 04:18 AM - 5 comments
August 09, 2010
Kovalchuk contract rejected by arbitrator : The NHL has won its case to have Ilya Kovalchuk’s 17-year, $102-million (all currency U.S.) contract rejected, making the Russian star an unrestricted free agent.
posted by tommytrump to hockey at 06:15 PM - 3 comments
Martin O'Neill resigns as Aston Villa manager : Just five days before the start of the Premier League season. Why did he do it? Where is he off to?
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:38 PM - 9 comments
Jim Gentile Wins 1961 RBI Crown: After a scoring change reduced Roger Maris's RBI total for 1961, first baseman Jim Gentile of the Baltimore Orioles has been awarded a share of that season's RBI crown. Now 76, Gentile also has received the $5,000 bonus General Manager Lee MacPhail told him he'd receive 49 years ago if he won the title.
posted by rcade to baseball at 12:16 PM - 8 comments
World Sauna Championships End with Death of Finalist: The annual World Sauna Championships in Finland will no longer be held after this year's final ended with the death of one of the finalists. Russian Vladimir Ladyzhensky, competing to stay in a 230 degree Fahrenheit sauna for as long as possible, collapsed after suffering severe burns and died in a hospital. The event had been held since 1999, but organizers said it would never be held again. Background on the event is available from ESPN Magazine and a short documentary on YouTube. "We went in, and it was so instantly, shockingly, insanely hot, my brain just stopped working," writes Rick Reilly, who competed in 2006. "It was like walking into a bonfire and pulling up a chair in the middle of it."
posted by rcade to extreme at 11:21 AM - 14 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 7: Four close games last week mean big points for some, not so much for others. Find out what side of the divide you were on and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 11:03 AM - 28 comments
Tiger Woods Has Worst Tournament of Pro Career: On a course where he's won seven times, Tiger Woods finished 18 over at the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. It's his worst finish as a pro. Woods tied for 78th in an 80 player field.
posted by rcade to golf at 10:36 AM - 25 comments
Sun-Times Claims Kentucky Recruit Offered $200,000: A $200,000 deal was made to get a top Chicago high school basketball player to play at the University of Kentucky, the Chicago Sun-Times claimed this week in a subsequently yanked story that doesn't inspire much confidence (cached copy). The Sun-Times claimed "rumors/sources" indicated that the father of Anthony Davis, a highly recruited 6-10 high school senior, negotiated the deal with "someone" who wanted him to attend the school. The university and Davis' father both deny the allegation and the Davises are threatening a lawsuit.
posted by rcade to basketball at 09:32 AM - 2 comments
ACL Tear a Career Ender for Many NFL Players: Less than two-thirds of National Football League players are able to return to play after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears even after surgery, according to new research. Out of 49 players who had the surgery, 31 returned to play. The ones who didn't were often draft picks in rounds five or higher. "They may rather 'cut their losses' for late draft picks," said study author Dr. Vishal Michael Shah.
posted by rcade to football at 08:31 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments
August 08, 2010
Is Don Hutson the Best Wide Receiver Ever?: Although new NFL Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Rice is widely considered the best wide receiver ever, the honor should go to fellow famer Don Hutson of the Green Bay Packers, argues Kerry Byrne of ColdHardFootballFacts.Com. In a no-passing era, Hutson improved the single season reception record from 22 to 74 in 1942, more than doubled the career receptions record to 488 and lead the league in receiving yards seven times in his 11 seasons. "When Huston joined the NFL, no player had produced more than 350 receiving yards in a season. He topped that mark in all 11 seasons of his career," Byrne writes. "[T]ruly Ruthian numbers."
posted by rcade to football at 09:22 AM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
Anderson Silva defends Middleweight Title in UFC 117: Chael Sonnen dominates fight until late in fifth and final round, Silva pulls off a miracle armbar submission to retain championship belt.
posted by sgtcookzane to other at 01:20 AM - 3 comments
August 07, 2010
The World Cup Lives On: Not sure if I should post this in the football or soccer category but this touchdown celebration by the Hamilton Ti-Cats receiver Dave Stala was one of the better ones in a while. I love the shot at the French World Cup team by the TSN announcer at the end.
posted by jc to football at 09:59 PM - 2 comments
NFL Referee: I Blew 2 Calls in 2006 Super Bowl: NFL referee Bill Leavy told the Seattle media that he "kicked two calls" in the the Seahawks' Super Bowl 0x28 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Leavy didn't identify the blown calls, but two questionable ones are cited in the article: A fourth quarter holding call against tackle Sean Locklear that kept Seattle from advancing to Pittsburgh's 1 yard line for a potential tying touchdown and a low block call on Matt Hasselbeck on a play where he threw an interception to Ike Taylor. "It left me with a lot of sleepless nights, and I think about it constantly," Leavy said of the game. "I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better."
posted by rcade to football at 07:50 PM - 3 comments
Now that's a debut!:
Blue Jays rookie catcher J.P. Arencibia racks up 11 total bases (2 HR, 1 double, 1 single) in 5 plate appearances, the most ever (since 1920*) in a debut.
He also hit a home run on the very first pitch he faced in the majors.
posted by grum@work to baseball at 07:48 PM - 13 comments
Catwalk costs Tampa Bay Rays AL East Lead: The Tropicana Field catwalks cost the Tampa Bay Rays a game Thursday along with first place in the American League East. The Minnesota Twins won 8-6 after a Jason Kubel infield fly in the ninth inning struck a catwalk 190 feet above the field and fell for a hit. The catwalks and other obstructions in the Tropicana roof are in play, one of the quirkiest quirks in the Major Leagues. "Blow this place up and get it right next time," writes Tampa Tribune columnist Joe Henderson. "A fitting major league stadium can still have the things people like about the Trop (air conditioning) without having play affected by some man-made erector set that dangles above the playing surface."
posted by rcade to baseball at 08:45 AM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
August 06, 2010
Alabama Tops First Coaches Poll: Defending national champion Alabama is No. 1 atop the preseason USA Today coaches poll released Friday. The rest of the top 5 are Ohio State, Florida, Texas and Boise State. "Last year is basically over," said Alabama coach Nick Saban.
posted by rcade to football at 07:26 PM - 3 comments
Elvis Has Left the Broncos: Denver Broncos linebacker Elvis Dumervil, who led the NFL in sacks last season, tore a chest muscle in Wednesday evening's practice and could be out for the season. He suffered a torn pectoral muscle that appears to require surgery.
posted by rcade to football at 04:33 PM - 6 comments
Marlins Lose Game After Disputed Foul Call: Third-base umpire Bob Davidson called a ninth-inning Gaby Sanchez grounder foul that would have won the game for the Florida Marlins over the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday night. The Phillies went on to win 5-4 in extra innings. "That was the worst call I've ever seen in my 30 years in baseball," claimed Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez. "That ball was a fair ball by six inches. He was never even looking at the play." Davidson defends the call: "I was right on top of it, and it was wide of the bag."
posted by rcade to baseball at 02:43 PM - 10 comments
The Franchise: ESPN takes a look at how Madden NFL became a franchise video game (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to football at 10:27 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
August 05, 2010
China Trying to Buy Liverpool FC: The government of China is funding a bid to buy Liverpool Football Club, seeking to extend the country's global influence, AFP reports. China's overseas investment arm China Investment Corp is providing funds for a bid fronted by businessman Kenny Huang, competing with a private equity group and a wealthy Kuwaiti family.
posted by rcade to soccer at 06:00 PM - 7 comments
Japanese Outfielder Makes Amazing Catch: Hiroshima Toyo Carp outfielder Masato Akamatsu robbed Yokohoma BayStars batter Shuichi Murata of a home run earlier this week. See the video.
posted by rcade to baseball at 03:05 PM - 14 comments
Sports Blog Hater Buzz Bissinger Joins Twitter: Sportswriter Buzz Bissinger, the author of Friday Night Lights who two years ago said that blogs are responsible for the "the complete dumbing down of our society," has become a twit. "Walking dogs with wife 3. Says if I do one more tweet she will castrate me," he recently tweeted. "Mulling. ..."
posted by rcade to general at 12:14 PM - 2 comments
Angler Caught Hiding Lead Sinkers in Fish: Mike Hart, a Southern California professional angler with career earnings topping $200,000, was caught putting nine two-ounce lead sinkers in five bass at his sport's U.S. Open and has been banned for life. Bass tour organizer Harvey Naslund called it "a day of infamy for organized bass fishing in America." John Viazanko, a fisherman who describes himself as Hart's friend for 25 years, writes, "I love Mike as a friend and brother, but would never have taken part in any activities like this with him."
posted by rcade to other at 09:27 AM - 7 comments
CFL Pick 'em, Week 6: Week 6 Picks
posted by apoch to fantasy at 09:20 AM - 26 comments
Ryan-Greenberg Group Wins Texas Rangers Auction: A group led by Nolan Ryan and Chuck Greenberg won the courthouse auction for the Texas Rangers shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday, submitting a $590 million bid a little under $9 million higher than Mark Cuban and Jim Crane. "It was time for someone to say uncle," said Ryan, currently serving as team president. Greenberg is a Pittsburgh attorney. Local columnist Randy Galloway suggests that Cuban, who had bought some of the Rangers' debt prior to the auction, was trying to increase the price for self-serving reasons -- and has now hurt the new ownership's ability to spend money: "This is shameful, Mark. Even for you, it’s shameful."
posted by rcade to baseball at 08:58 AM - 10 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments
August 04, 2010
Shaq is now a Green man.: Shaq is now preparing his own letter of farewell and thanks to the Cleveland fans after signing with the Boston Celtics.
posted by beaverboard to basketball at 05:50 PM - 17 comments
Yankees' Alex Rodriguez hits 600th career home run: Alex Rodriguez became the seventh -– and youngest –- major league player to hit 600 home runs, reaching the milestone Wednesday at Yankee Stadium against the Blue Jays
posted by BornIcon to baseball at 02:27 PM - 65 comments
What's to become of Mesut Özil?: Werder Bremen finds itself in a "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.
posted by yerfatma to soccer at 11:40 AM - 4 comments
Columnists: Age Has Caught Up to Joe Paterno: A columnist in Pennsylvania is alarmed by how Penn State coach Joe Paterno sounded during the Big Ten Kickoff Monday. "Paterno sounded very much like something he never has -- an old man," writes David Jones of the Patriot-News about the 83-year-old coach in his 45th year of coaching. "In the backs of our heads, we know everyone gets old. It's just that a certain personality, so full of sparkle and fizz, can fool us into believing otherwise for a very long time." Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News agrees: "Paterno looked and sounded old and tired. Over the hill. Too old to continue coaching major college football." See the video.
posted by rcade to football at 09:12 AM - 14 comments
Goodell: Jacksonville Fans Better Buy Tickets: During a brief visit to Jacksonville Monday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stressed to Jaguars fans the importance of buying tickets if they want the team to stay. "We want this team to be successful and we want it to be here," Goodell told a group of business leaders, players and media. "We just want to make sure we're playing in front of large audiences and hopefully a sold-out audience, because that's what we expect in the NFL." Of the 20 regular-season games blacked out in the NFL last year, seven were Jaguars home games. The team has broken records for new season ticket holders but has 10,000 season tickets left to sell with 19 days before the first preseason game. "Goodell came through Jacksonville with all the enthusiasm of a politician drained by the campaign trail," writes local columnist Gene Frenette.
posted by rcade to football at 08:05 AM - 16 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
August 03, 2010
Whitey Ford Never Started an "Ultimate" Game: Surprised?
posted by mjkredliner to baseball at 12:52 PM - 18 comments
David Tyree Retires from NFL: New York Giants receiver David Tyree retired Friday with 54 career receptions, 650 yards and four touchdowns. He will be remembered for his final catch, a 32-yard fourth quarter snag of a desperate Eli Manning heave that helped the New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 0x2A. Steve Sabol of NFL Films calls it the best play in Super Bowl history, but Yahoo blogger Chris Chase questions its all-time greatness.
posted by rcade to football at 11:20 AM - 10 comments
Brett Favre Retiring? QB Reportedly Will Not Return To Vikings : Brett Favre is indicating that he may be retiring, according to a series of tweets from Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The legendary quarterback has made a yearly habit of delaying his decision to return to football until the very last moment, but this year appears to be different, if Zulgad's sources are correct.
posted by BornIcon to football at 11:04 AM - 40 comments
LeBron James takes out newspaper ad to thank Akron: Two days after Zydrunas Ilgauskas took out an ad in The Plain Dealer to thank the fans of Cleveland for their support, LeBron James placed a similar ad in the Beacon-Journal in Akron.
posted by BornIcon to basketball at 08:05 AM - 6 comments
Rafer Johnson and the Power of 10: These are some stories of an extraordinary life. No. Wait. They teach you early on in the storytelling business to never set expectations too high. For instance, you don’t want to say, “Oh, I’ve got this hilarious joke I have to tell you.” Let the joke breathe. You don’t want to say, “Here is a story you will not believe.” Let the story speak.
posted by gfinsf to olympics at 07:49 AM - 5 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
August 02, 2010
Horseplay leads to disabled list.:
Grant Balfour [is] on the disabled list because of an injury to his left side suffered because he and pitching coach Jim Hickey were engaged in tomfoolery on the field before batting practice Friday.
No word if shenanigans or roughhousing were involved.
posted by grum@work to baseball at 04:58 PM - 7 comments
Rupert Murdoch May Buy Texas Rangers: Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is considering a bid for the bankrupt Texas Rangers, the New York Post reported today. News Corp already pays $35 million a year to broadcast the team's games. Other bidders include a Nolan Ryan-led group and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. The Rangers go up for auction Wednesday with a starting bid of $307 million, but a sale price as high as $550 million is expected.
posted by rcade to baseball at 02:22 PM - 6 comments
Ozzie Guillen sounds off on baseball's treatment of players: Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen spoke his mind again Sunday...and this time he wasn't haranguing his players or umpires or any of the usual suspects. He spoke about what he perceives to be a disadvantage for Spanish-speaking players in the Major League Baseball. Specifically, he cited the availability of translators for Japanese players
posted by BornIcon to baseball at 09:40 AM - 10 comments
Heat Fire Entire Season Ticket Sales Staff: The Miami Heat, who rapidly sold out all their season tickets after attracting superfriends LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade, have fired all 30 people on their season ticket sales staff. "We greatly appreciate their contributions to the company," the team said in a statement.
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:08 AM - 4 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
August 01, 2010
Study: The Peer Effect of Jose Canseco: A pair of Israeli economists have provided scientific support for Jose Canseco's claim that he helped power hitters juice up on every team he played for during his career. A study by labor economists Eric Gould and Todd Kaplan finds that after playing with Canseco, teammates hit more home runs and boosted their numbers in the areas most affected by steroid use. "[N]o other player seems to have affected his teammates in the way that Jose Canseco did," Gould and Kaplan write in the study, titled "Learning Unethical Practices from a Co-worker: The Peer Effect of Jose Canseco."
posted by rcade to baseball at 07:11 PM - 4 comments
Pitino Testifies About Sex with Extortionist: The sordid details of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino's restaurant-table tryst with a former model have come out in her extortion trial. Karen Sypher had sex with the married Pitino in July 2003, claims she got pregnant and he paid for her abortion (which he denies), married Pitino's assistant Tim Sypher and allegedly tried to extort $10 million from Pitino. All for a 15-second encounter that's not even a shot-clock violation. Sportswriter Jay Mariotti believes Pitino should resign: "[H]ow is Ricky Dicky supposed to be taken seriously when he couldn't control his sexual appetite at an actual table where people eat and drink in a well-regarded establishment?"
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:52 AM - 9 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments