12/21/24
Archives for September 2010
September 30, 2010
Lebron Plays Race Card Over Decision Criticism: When asked by CNN correspondent Soledad O'Brien if race played a factor in how LeBron James' decision to join the Miami Heat was covered by the media, James and his manager Maverick Carter said yes. "I think so at times," James said. "It's always, you know, a race factor."
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:47 PM - 25 comments
Saints Sign Kicker John Carney: The New Orleans Saints have signed John Carney because of the field goal woes of Garrett Hartley. Hartley missed a 29-yard kick Sunday that would've given the Saints an overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons and is just 4-for-7 this season. He'll remain with the team. Carney, 46, began his 22-year NFL career when Hartley was just two years old.
posted by rcade to football at 12:13 PM - 18 comments
NASCAR Winners Asked to Be Less Boring: Facing declining ratings and attendance, NASCAR is pleading for its drivers to sound less like infomercials after they win a race, when they dutifully thank all sponsors but end up saying little about the race. "Just about every driver goes through media training," said driver David Ragan. "I not only learned how [sponsor] UPS worked, but a lot about the people who make it work. You become part of that family."
posted by rcade to auto racing at 11:40 AM - 15 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 28 comments
Tour De France Winner Tests Positive For Steroid: Alberto Contador joins the list of busted cheaters in cycling.
posted by TheQatarian to other at 12:09 AM - 15 comments
September 29, 2010
Keeper Quits Match After Boneheaded Gaffe: The Moroccan club goalkeeper Khalid Askri, who recently celebrated a penalty shootout save without noticing the ball had enough backspin to find the net, gave up a boneheaded goal against another club Saturday that prompted him to remove his shirt and run off the pitch.
posted by rcade to soccer at 07:03 PM - 2 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 14: Six weeks to go, and can anybody catch tommytrump? The free preview answer is "maybe". For a full subscription, send me your credit card details and make you picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 05:07 PM - 21 comments
If you give it, will they come? Rays to hand out 20,000 free tickets: In response to the bad press created by Monday night's comments from David Price and Evan Longoria, the Tampa Bay Rays just announced that they'll be giving away 20,000 tickets — free, gratis, no charge — to Wednesday night's game against the Orioles at Tropicana Field.
posted by smithnyiu to baseball at 11:04 AM - 27 comments
Coaches Brawl at Pee Wee Football Game: A dozen coaches from two Pearland, Texas, youth football teams got into a brawl during the game two weekends ago, resulting in their teams being barred from postseason play. Some players tried unsuccessfully to separate the adults. "I can't believe the coaches did that in front of us, because it sets a bad example," said player Justin Guy-Robinson, 11. A followup report indicates the fight began when a coach grabbed an opposing team's player and threw him to the ground.
posted by rcade to football at 10:16 AM - 51 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 19 comments
September 28, 2010
David Frost a.k.a. Jim McCauley is teaching at the Laguna Hockey Academy : Frost, banned from numerous minor and junior hockey leagues in Ontario and best known as the intended murder target of his former client, ex-NHL player Mike Danton, has been spotted teaching hockey in Southern California. In Ontario, Frost was banned or suspended from the GTHL, the OHA, and several other junior hockey leagues in the province. The controversial Frost, target of several newspaper investigations and numerous episodes of CBC’s the fifth estate, was found not guilty of multiple sexual exploitation charges in In 2008. We have officially had our first Frost of the year.
posted by tommytrump to hockey at 06:50 PM - 6 comments
Kansas City Chiefs Start 3-0: With victories over San Diego, Cleveland and San Francisco, the Kansas City Chiefs have opened their season 3-0 for the first time since 2003. Head coach Todd Haley downplays the significance, reminding the team of his days as an assistant coach on a 2000 New York Jets team that opened 4-0 but finished out of the playoffs at 9-7. "Nobody else remembers that team but those of us who were on it," he said. The Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers are the NFL's only other 3-0 teams.
posted by rcade to football at 06:24 PM - 15 comments
Drunk Driver Convicted of Murder in Adenhart Death: Andrew Gallo, 23, has been convicted of second-degree murder in the April 2009 deaths of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others traveling in the same vehicle. Gallo, whose blood-alcohol level was three times over California's legal limit when he struck them with his car, faces 50 years to life in prison.
posted by rcade to baseball at 05:55 PM - 10 comments
In Golf, Cheating is Still Cheating: After accepting his medal for winning a junior golf tournament, 14-year-old Wisconsin golfer Zach Nash learned that he'd been carrying 15 clubs, one more than the rules allowed. He turned himself in, like so many golfers before him, and was disqualified. The Los Angeles Times covers this anomalous tradition in sports. "Even the slightest imputation of cheating, maybe you can get away with that in other sports, but not in golf," said golf historian Steve Schlossman.
posted by rcade to golf at 12:16 PM - 8 comments
Chiefs' Shaun Smith Accused of Extremely Personal Fouls: Two offensive linemen who have played against Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Shaun Smith have accused him of grabbing their privates. "He tried to feel me," said the 49ers' Anthony Davis. "That's weird, right?" Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack made the same accusation. "I don't think he should be able to do that," Mack said the day after their game. "I'm still fired up about it."
posted by rcade to football at 10:34 AM - 16 comments
Average goals per game, by year: for every hockey league you've ever heard of. Surprisingly dramatic variation within and between leagues.
posted by rumple to hockey at 03:17 AM - 8 comments
September 27, 2010
Winless 49ers Fire Offensive Coordinator: The San Francisco 49ers have responded to their 0-3 start by firing offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye. The 49ers' 38 points this season are second lowest, atop only the Carolina Panthers. "Raye's doom was probably sealed when Yahoo.com detailed after Game 1 that Raye had trouble deciding on plays in a timely manner, and didn't always use the proper terminology when radio-ing those plays to the sideline," writes Scott Ostler.
posted by rcade to football at 05:54 PM - 5 comments
Raiders legend George Blanda dies at 83: Former Raider quarterback George Blanda, whose passing and kicking exploits during a 26-year NFL career led him to a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died. He was 83.
posted by BornIcon to football at 04:02 PM - 10 comments
Saban Uses Medical Scholarships to Free Roster Spots: Alabama head coach Nick Saban is pressuring some players to quit with medical scholarships so they can be replaced, several ex-players allege. The scholarships end a player's football eligibility and are intended to insure that injured athletes can get financial aid. Saban has used them 12 times since taking over the program in 2007. "It was pushed," said Chuck Kirschman, a linebacker who thought he could keep playing despite a back injury last year.
posted by rcade to football at 11:23 AM - 4 comments
Chapman Throws Fastest Pitch Ever Recorded: Cincinnati Reds lefthander Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest pitch recorded in a Major League game Friday night -- a 105-mph fastball against Tony Gwynn Jr. "I didn't see it until the ball was behind me," Gwynn said.
posted by rcade to baseball at 09:55 AM - 2 comments
Haynesworth: Contract Doesn't Make Me a 'Slave': In an interview with a radio station, Washington defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said that his $100 million contract doesn't mean he's the team's slave. "I guess in this world we don't have a lot of people with, like, backbones. Just because somebody pay you money don't mean they'll make you do whatever they want or whatever. I mean, does that mean everything is for sale? I mean, I'm not for sale. Yeah, I signed the contract and got paid a lot of money, but ... that don't mean I'm for sale or a slave or whatever."
posted by rcade to football at 08:23 AM - 16 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
September 26, 2010
Giants accuse Rockies of cheating : SF pitcher Tim Lincecum called a ball "juiced" during Friday's game. Giants sportscaster Jon Miller outright accused the Rockies of using non-humidor balls when on offense this summer. No proof has been offered, but the Rockies agreed to have an umpire supervise entire transport of balls from humidor to field.
posted by MKUltra to baseball at 12:39 PM - 8 comments
Spot your favorite NFL arrestee: These are arrests and citations involving NFL players since 2000 that were more serious than speeding tickets. The list cannot be considered comprehensive in part because some incidents may not have been reported and some public records proved to be elusive. Increased media coverage of incidents also probably accounts for more incidents listed in recent years. The search box does not work well, but some trends can be seen.
posted by roberts to football at 08:25 AM - 2 comments
September 25, 2010
Kissing Your Sister in Melbourne: The AFL Grand Final ends in a tie, for only the third time in history.
posted by owlhouse to other at 09:40 PM - 4 comments
NHL Suspends Boynton for Throat-Slash Gesture: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nick Boynton has been suspended for the team's season opening game after making a throat-slashing gesture during a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
posted by rcade to hockey at 07:18 PM - 2 comments
High School Football Team Quits at Halftime: Down 48-0 and left with only 11 non-freshmen after six injuries to his players, a Seattle high school team quit the game at halftime last Friday rather than continue. "The game is about life," said West Seattle coach Davis Lura. "It helps you with adversity. Now, we are dealing with adversity."
MLB/ 'Charlie Hustle' gives Ichiro his due ... but he'd like to see more walks: In an interview marking Ichiro Suzuki's 10th consecutive 200-hits season, Pete Rose offered his assessment of Ichiro's achievement: while acknowledging that "Ichiro's a great hitter" Pete reminded us that "I did it 10 times, but I didn't do it 10 times in a row. And I did 198 twice, too, and I did 192 once, so I guess at the time ... if I knew there was going to be someone challenging that I probably would have worked harder and gotten a couple more hits in those two years." Pointing out the difference in their respective accomplishments, Rose added that "the only negative thing I could ever say about Ichiro, would be this; that Ichiro gets a lot of hits but he doesn't get many walks. OK? So you gotta remember I got all those hits but I got close to 1,600 walks too."
posted by billinnagoya to baseball at 10:03 AM - 25 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
September 24, 2010
Rah Deal: A former Silsbee, Texas, high school cheerleader did not have a First Amendment right to refuse to cheer for a basketball player she claimed had sexually assaulted her, a federal appeals court panel has ruled. More.
posted by rumple to culture at 11:47 PM - 9 comments
Marc Buoniconti, 25 Years After the Tackle: Marc Buoniconti, who became a quadriplegic 25 years ago while making a tackle in a college football game, has raised $350 million with his famous father Nick to fund research into a cure for paralysis with their Buoniconti Fund. "I'll never accept this injury," Marc says. "I think as soon as you accept something like that you've lost."
ESPN Building Set at Miami Heat Camp: As the Miami Heat open their training camp next week in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, club President Pat Riley is defensive about how much LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have been hammered over the way the team was built. "They proved that they want to win by taking less money, they proved they want to win by having to give up the ball more and by coming to play together," he said. ESPN is building a set at their camp.
posted by rcade to basketball at 04:27 PM - 8 comments
Women's Pro Tennis Turns 40: Women's professional tennis was launched by World Tennis magazine publisher Gladys Heldman 40 years ago on September 23, 1970, with a tournament that had nine entrants and $7,500 in prizes. The original nine were Billy Jean King and Rosemary Casals along with the lesser known Peaches Bartkowicz, Judy Dalton, Julie Heldman, Kerry Melville, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey and Valerie Ziegenfuss. A year later, King became the first female athlete to earn six figures in her sport. In the '80s, Martina Navratilova became the first to earn $1 million. Today the WTA Tour is an $85 million-a-year sport. "We wanted to make sure that any young girl, if she was good enough and if she wanted to, would have the opportunity to make a living playing tennis," King said.
posted by rcade to tennis at 10:41 AM - 7 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
September 23, 2010
The Hoser's NFL Picks 2010 -- Week Three: NFL picks that are ready to take down "Man Vs. Food" host Adam Richman in a no-holds-barred flapjack throwdown.
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 11:26 PM - 10 comments
Mario Williams Shuts Up Hecklers: Former first overall pick Mario Williams of the Houston Texans, nicknamed "Super Mario," heard a lot of smack talk during the team's road game against Washington Sunday. He credits them with his three sacks on Donovan McNabb in the Texans' 30-27 victory. "People were yelling at me right behind us on the bench, asking, 'Have I eaten my mushroom?' I listen to fans, and they have to realize that the stuff they say gets taken out on their quarterback."
posted by rcade to football at 04:54 PM - 5 comments
Woody Paige: I Considered Suicide in 2002: In a column about the suicide of Denver Broncos player Kenny McKinley Monday, Denver Post sports columnist and ESPN regular Woody Paige makes an unexpected admission: "I know an older man who eight years ago this month was committed to committing suicide. Me. ... Break your leg, and you can tell. Break your brain, and it's not so evident."
Mark Reynolds Continues Historic Strikeout Run: Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Mark Reynolds, the only player in Major League history to strike out 200 times in a season, has just accomplished the feat for the third season in a row. "Moving forward, I think I'll be a lot smarter and a lot more patient with how I approach struggles at the plate," he said.
Stern Tells Arenas Not to Discuss Gun Conviction: NBA commissioner David Stern has advised Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards not to talk about the former All-Star's felony conviction for bringing four guns to the team's locker room in December after an argument with a teammate. "The commissioner spoke to Gilbert," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said. "His message was: 'You've paid your price, you're back in good standing, and don't feel obligated to talk about the past.'"
posted by rcade to basketball at 12:03 PM - 8 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 13: Three close games means points handed out by the bunch. Plus a clear leader emerges from the pack to take a stranglehold on first place. Is it you? The only way to know is to make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 12:44 AM - 20 comments
September 22, 2010
Could Kelly Slater be the best athlete ever? No seriously?: Nine-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater won the Hurley Pro Saturday at Lower Trestles, the same San Clemente, Calif. venue where he won his maiden victory as a pro nearly 20 years ago to the day. Of course, if and when any mention of his win makes the mainstream sporting press in the U.S. it's likely to be shoehorned between coverage of the latest hot dog-eating contest and a brawl between college mascots.
posted by BornIcon to other at 02:35 PM - 6 comments
Orioles Pitcher Keeps Hitting Yankees: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jeremy Guthrie hit New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter with the first pitch of the game in the Yankees' 11-3 victory at Camden Yards on Saturday. He's hit 10 Yankees in 15 career games, compared to three Toronto Blue Jays, one Boston Red Sox and one Tampa Bay Rays player. "I know he likes to pitch inside, but it's too many," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi.
posted by rcade to baseball at 09:33 AM - 33 comments
Ohio Mascot Tackles Brutus Buckeye: Ohio University's mascot Rufus Bobcat attacked Brutus Buckeye on the field before their football game Saturday, resulting in his portrayer's ban from athletic activities at the school. Brandon Hanning, 21, was unapologetic. "It was the whole reason I tried out [to be Rufus] last year," he said. "I knew we were going back to OSU this year, and I wanted to tackle Brutus." Video #1 and #2
posted by rcade to football at 07:59 AM - 15 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments
September 21, 2010
Michigan State Coach Has Postgame Heart Attack: Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio is recovering from a heart attack suffered after his team's dramatic overtime victory against Notre Dame Saturday night, in which Dantonio called a fake field goal instead of kicking to tie the game. See the last play.
College Photographer Gets Iconic Shot: Sam Wolson, the photo editor of the University of Michigan's school paper, unwittingly got a shot of team quarterback Denard Robinson Saturday striking a perfect Heisman pose. "No one in their right mind can make that photo if they want to," said Wolson, whose photo went over the AP wire and has been picked up across the country.
posted by rcade to football at 04:30 PM - 11 comments
Broncos Receiver Dead in Apparent Suicide: Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley was found dead in his home Monday in an apparent suicide. McKinley, 23, was a fifth-round draft choice in 2009 who had hurt his knee twice in the past eight months. He was a kick and punt returner for the Broncos after becoming South Carolina's all-time leading receiver with 207 catches for 2,781 yards.
posted by rcade to football at 09:57 AM - 6 comments
Jets' WR Braylon Edwards busted in DWI: Jets' wide receiver Braylon Edwards was busted on a drunken driving charge early this morning, after cops pulled him over on the West Side and found he had double the legal limit of alcohol in his system, police said. Edwards, 27, was arrested at 5:15 a.m. and charged with DWI, after cops pulled over his Range Rover at 34th Street and 12th Avenue for having overly-tinted windows. Police said they smelled alcohol and Edwards blew a 0.16 on a Breathalyzer, or double the state's legal limit of 0.08.
posted by BornIcon to football at 08:43 AM - 19 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 14 comments
September 20, 2010
Sport of Kabbadi Played in New York City: Covering a game of kabbadi recently played in Queens, the New York Times describes the Punjabi sport as "a combination of rugby and wrestling -- without the ball and the protective gear -- with a helping of the old New York street game ringalevio thrown in." Video of play from a World Cup match between India and Pakistan.
posted by rcade to other at 07:02 PM - 5 comments
Sports Illustrated: Life Inside Locker Rooms: Sports Illustrated runs a collection of its best photos over the years taken in locker rooms, including early career shots of John Elway, Rafael Nadal and Peyton Manning and a memorable end-of-career moment for Arnold Palmer.
posted by rcade to general at 06:12 PM - 2 comments
Michael Vick sparkles again; promptly gets benched: It would've been difficult to imagine this back in 2007 when Michael Vick(notes) was being led around in handcuffs, but I'm about to argue that the man is being wronged. It's not just Vick, either. It's all of his teammates, fans and pretty much anyone who wants the Philadelphia Eagles to win football games. They're all being done a disservice by Andy Reid's decision to go with Kevin Kolb as the starter in next week's game against the Jaguars.
posted by BornIcon to football at 03:23 PM - 33 comments
Bet I can. Bet you can't.: This past Saturday, a friendly bar wager between me, my twin brother and my former baseball teammate came to life.
posted by cabuki to fantasy at 02:03 PM - 9 comments
NHL team names, and how they got them.:
posted by grum@work to hockey at 11:41 AM - 21 comments
Giants Running Back Throws Helmet into Stands: New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs threw his helmet 10 rows into the stands during the team's 38-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts last night, which he said was an accident. No one was hurt, but it sparked a dispute when the fan who caught it wouldn't give it back. "Yelling ensued after the throw, first by angry and frightened Colts fans toward Jacobs, then by Jacobs toward them and finally from Tom Coughlin directed toward his running back," Yahoo's Shutdown Corner reports. "The Giants coach loudly chastised his player on the sideline and didn't put him back in the game following the incident."
posted by rcade to football at 10:56 AM - 7 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
September 19, 2010
Broken bat punctures base runner's chest.:
Cubs outfielder Tyler Colvin will miss the rest of the season after being stabbed in the chest by a piece of a broken bat while running from 3rd to home.
posted by grum@work to baseball at 06:17 PM - 5 comments
There's the snap: a broad spectrum of historic football photos from the Magnum photo agency.
posted by rumple to football at 05:33 PM - 3 comments
Catcher LaRue Retires Over Cueto Head Kick: St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue has been forced into retirement by concussion-related injuries suffered because Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto kicked in him the head during an August brawl. "Does it suck that my career is over because Johnny Cueto started kicking me in the head?" said LaRue, who has suffered debilitating headaches and been unable to drive. "Yes, it sucks."
posted by rcade to baseball at 05:20 PM - 28 comments
Sainz: Scandal Set Back Women's Rights '50 Years': TV Azteca sports reporter Ines Sainz wrote a commentary for Mexico City newspaper El Universal titled "My September 11th in New York" in which she blamed the media for blowing up the situation. "A group of news people and communicators, eager to make an even bigger scandal out of this situation, have moved women's rights backwards at least 50 years," she wrote. "I am surprised by how easily some colleagues skip the basic rules of journalism: one should investigate, inquire, and look at the facts before giving an opinion."
posted by rcade to football at 04:23 PM - 21 comments
Tulowitzki Has 14 Homers in 15 Games: Colorado Rockies slugger Troy Tulowitzki hit two home runs Saturday, tying a modern major league record with 14 in a 15-game stretch. The Rockies have won 20 of 26 to close in on the San Diego Padres in the NL West. "If you had to pick one time to do it, it would be now," Tulowitzki said.
posted by rcade to baseball at 03:26 PM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 20 comments
September 18, 2010
Penn State Gets $88 Million to Play Hockey: Penn State is returning to Division I men's hockey for the first time since 1946, thanks to an $88 million donation -- the largest private gift in school history -- by Terry and Kim Pegula. The deal came about after Terry Pegula, a Penn State grad and natural gas and oil exploration executive, got to know Joe Battista, the 512-game winning coach of the team's successful club hockey program, after sending his sons to hockey camps at the school. "It's taken 32 years," said Battista. "I bawled my eyes out."
posted by rcade to hockey at 07:16 PM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
September 17, 2010
The Hoser's NFL Picks 2010 -- Week Two: NFL picks that, like a new Cialis user, have nowhere to go but up.
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 06:43 PM - 13 comments
Does Bad Behavior Cost Athletes Big Bucks?: In a blog from forbes.com, the financial news magazine's web site, Kurt Badenhausen looks at the highest paid athletes and their popularity. Less than stellar behavior has already cost some, but others seem to "get away with it".
posted by Howard_T to general at 05:06 PM - 0 comments
Will Auburn be investigated like USC?: "Let me tell you something, these agents are well known, and they've been giving kids money for 30 years, and I have no problem with it. Borrowing money from an agent ain't the same as a college paying you."
posted by Demophon to basketball at 01:37 PM - 9 comments
The Lisa Olson Incident, 20 Years Later: Today is the 20th anniversary of the Lisa Olson incident in the New England Patriots locker room, when the female Boston Herald sportswriter was sexually harassed by players Zeke Mowatt, Robert Perryman and Michael Timpson. Mowatt walked up to her while he was nude and fondled his genitals as she was interviewing a teammate. Olson said Mowatt told her, "Is this what you want? Do you want to take a bite out of this?" and she described the incident as "premeditated mind rape." Then-team owner Victor Kiam II falsely claimed that she once followed another team's player into the shower and reportedly called her a "classic bitch" (which he denied). Olson settled a lawsuit against the team, and after receiving hate mail, death threats and having her home burglarized, she moved to Australia to work for one of her employer's other newspapers. Today, Olson's a columnist for AOL FanHouse and Mowatt runs a janitor service. Kiam died in 2001. "Every female sports reporter has her stories," writes Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel sportswriter Lori Nickel. "I won't bore you with mine. But I will tell you that, when they happened, I didn't tell the teams, I told a few friends, I didn't tell colleagues at the Association for Women in Sports Media -- because I felt I needed to be tough and handle it on my own."
posted by rcade to football at 01:23 PM - 20 comments
Florida Man Uses BB Gun to Motivate Stepson: A Leesburg, Fla., man was arrested for firing a BB gun to motivate his teen stepson during full-pad football sprints in his yard. "Maybe I was a little over-zealous," said Robert Barker, 41. "I'm not a perfect father and I don't know anybody who is."
posted by rcade to football at 12:05 PM - 11 comments
Meet the 'Smartest Man in Baseball': Oakland A's reliever Craig Breslow is the league's smartest player, claims Yahoo Sports columnist Jeff Passan. Breslow conducts genetic research in the offseason and runs the Strike 3 Foundation to fight cancer. "Not anyone can go to Yale. And not anyone at Yale can study molecular bio ... biophy... bio-whatever-it-is," said teammate Andrew Bailey.
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
September 16, 2010
Yankees Caps Popular Among Criminals: "[D]ozens of men and women who have robbed, beaten, stabbed and shot at their fellow New Yorkers have done so while wearing Yankees caps or clothing," the New York Times reports. "Since 2000, more than 100 people who have been suspects or persons of interest in connection with serious crimes in New York City wore Yankees apparel at the time of the crimes or at the time of their arrest or arraignment. ... only about a dozen people in the same review were found to be wearing Mets gear."
posted by rcade to baseball at 04:18 PM - 16 comments
Daunte Culpepper Playing in UFL: Former NFL quarterback Daunte Culpepper is playing for the Sacramento Mountain Lions, a United Football League team coached by Dennis Green that opens play Sept. 18. "There wasn't a [NFL] team that really wanted me to be the guy, or a starter," said Culpepper, 33. "I wasn't going to wait for someone to get hurt when there was already a pro team without a quarterback."
posted by rcade to football at 11:56 AM - 7 comments
Derek Jeter Admits Faking Hit-By-Pitch: New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter faked being hit by a pitch in Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. A pitch struck the end of the bat and Jeter held his arm before being awarded first base. He later scored. "It's part of the game," Jeter said. "My job is to get on base." (Video.)
posted by rcade to baseball at 11:42 AM - 57 comments
Andrew Flintoff Announces Retirement: A talisman to English cricket, the bowler of that over (Minute by Minute - look for the 12th over), "Freddy" Flintoff has hung up his bat after failing to fully recover from injuries suffered in the 2009 ashes series.
posted by Mr Bismarck to other at 11:05 AM - 6 comments
Coaches Wanted to Kill Preseason Football Poll: College football coaches had agreed to kill the preseason football poll last year but USA Today talked them out of it, the newspaper's deputy managing editor Jim Welch told Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports. Coaches wanted to wait for the first poll until a month in the season, eliminating the ranking of teams that hadn't proven anything on the field yet. "We don't view that as a good idea," Welch said.
posted by rcade to football at 08:19 AM - 4 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
September 15, 2010
Ray Lewis' son has a 504-yard monster game in Florida: Ray Lewis had a big game last week, leading his team to a dominant victory with 504 yards, two touchdowns and six completed tackles. No, we're not crazy, we're just not talking about the Ray Lewis you're thinking of; it's not the Baltimore Ravens linebacker. We're talking about his son, Ray Lewis III, a budding sophomore star at Lake Mary Prep High School in Florida.
posted by BornIcon to football at 03:50 PM - 11 comments
Florida Player Texts Girlfriend 'Time to Die Bitch': University of Florida receiver Chris Rainey has been charged with felony aggravated stalking after allegedly sending threatening text messages to his on-and-off girlfriend of three years. He also told someone after police arrived, "Wait and see what happens when they leave."
posted by rcade to football at 03:05 PM - 13 comments
Fake Togo Team Plays Soccer Friendly: The chairman of Togo's soccer federation said the players who claimed to represent his country in a 3-0 loss friendly with Bahrain were not the real team. "The players that took part in the friendly match against Bahrain were completely fake," Seiyi Memene said. "We have not sent any team of footballers to Bahrain. The players are not known to us."
posted by rcade to soccer at 02:51 PM - 3 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 12: Blowouts across the board this week, which somehow meant meagre scores across our own little board. Were you the exception? The only way to know is to make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 12:47 PM - 24 comments
Giants Lose 60-Year Season Ticket Holders: Last Sunday's game was the first time in 60 years that the family of James Sayles did not attend a New York Giants game. Sayles' daughter said that six season tickets at the 50-yard line had been occupied by four generations of her family since 1950. Her father attended his first Giants game in 1930 at the Polo Grounds. The new stadium's charge of $20,000 for permanent seat licenses and an offer of lousy seats in the upper deck drove them off. "All those years, all that loyalty, and what they were telling me was, 'You don't matter,'" she said. "We are no longer Giants fans." Other fans have been a hard sell: The Giants 36-year streak of sellouts -- excluding the strike year -- ended with the game.
posted by rcade to football at 10:14 AM - 19 comments
Evil Riders or Institutionalised Corruption?: The ethics and impacts of doping in professional cycling.
September 14, 2010
Reggie Bush says he's going to forfeit his Heisman Trophy: New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush isn't waiting on the Heisman Trophy Trust to rule on whether it will take back the award he won in 2005 as a member of the USC football team. In a statement released by the Saints on Tuesday afternoon, Bush said he plans on giving back the Heisman Trophy.
posted by BornIcon to football at 04:54 PM - 33 comments
Jets' Jenkins Out for Year with Knee Injury: New York Jets defensive lineman Kris Jenkins will miss the remainder of the 2010 season after tearing the ACL in his left knee six plays into Monday's season-opening loss against the Baltimore Ravens. The four-time Pro Bowler, 31, made news earlier in the day for shouting "this is our locker room" at Ines Sainz and another female reporter Saturday after practice. He had ACL surgery on the same knee last October.
posted by rcade to football at 02:04 PM - 5 comments
Rays Take Lead in AL East: In an epic pitching battle that began with two 17-game winners facing each other, the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Yankees 1-0 in 11 innings Monday night, putting them in first place in the AL East. The teams play each other six more times, with the last four in New York.
posted by rcade to baseball at 12:33 PM - 30 comments
Vince Young on Bush's Heisman: 'I Definitely Want It': Although Vince Young said that Reggie Bush won the Heisman "fair and square," he would not turn the award down if it was taken away from Bush and offered to him as runner-up: "I definitely want it, I definitely want it. ... if they send it over to me I am not going to say no to it."
posted by rcade to football at 09:52 AM - 13 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
Second Chance League?: The Edmonton Eskimos are apparently set to announce the hiring of Eric Tillman as their new GM, but not before floating the idea out to their fans first. His track record as a GM isn't in question. But is an absolute discharge from a Saskatchewan court for his guilty plea of sexual assault to a minor enough to satisfy Edmontonians? The stakes are redemption, for Tillman and the Eskimos, as Edmonton gets set to roll the dice.
posted by Spitztengle to football at 01:45 AM - 2 comments
Penn Football Player Had Brain Disease: A brain autopsy of a University of Pennsylvania football player who killed himself in April has revealed the same trauma-induced brain disease found in more than 20 dead NFL players. Owen Thomas, a popular junior lineman with no previous history of depression, hanged himself in his apartment after what friends and family called a "sudden and uncharacteristic emotional collapse," the New York Times reports.
posted by rcade to football at 12:28 AM - 7 comments
September 13, 2010
Babe Ruth (would have) used steroids!:
Bill James talks about breaking the rules in America.
posted by grum@work to baseball at 11:21 AM - 5 comments
Is Mike Vick Back? : Kevin Kolb got tackled hard from behind by Clay Matthews. He went out and later I found out that the tackle gave him a concussion. I was instantly excited when Kevin was injured, not because I like to see players hurt but I knew Mike Vick would be coming into the game.
posted by BornIcon to football at 09:27 AM - 20 comments
Jets Investigated for Harassment of Female Reporter: The NFL is investigating whether New York Jets players and one coach harassed Mexican TV reporter Ines Sainz during practice Saturday, running a drill to attempt to collide with her and greeting her with derisive hoots and catcalls later in the locker room. New York Post sportswriter Bart Hubbuch tweeted about "harmless antics" during the practice (as opposed to the locker room) and had this final take: "I'm not defending Jets' behavior, but her outfit was extremely provocative and inappropriate for the setting." (It appears he later deleted these messages.)
posted by rcade to football at 08:30 AM - 107 comments
Calvin Johnson: Catch or no catch?: Calvin Johnson and the Detroit Lions thought their road victory drought was over until the referees ruled differently on Sunday.
posted by BornIcon to football at 08:25 AM - 39 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 13 comments
September 12, 2010
Nicklaus' Grandson Suspended for Obscene Gesture: Nick O'Leary, the grandson of golf legend Jack Nicklaus and one of the top high school tight end prospects in the country, has been suspended two games for flipping off opponents who were taunting him after an interstate Labor Day game televised on ESPN. O'Leary's team appeared to score a go-ahead touchdown three times at the end of the game, only to have all three nullified by officials.
Honoring Pete Rose 25 years and 4,192 hits: "It's something I'll never forget," said Reds Chief Operating Officer, Phil Castellini. "I know I'll get goose bumps again tomorrow night when I see that kind of re-lived, and see him out here among the fans."
posted by BornIcon to baseball at 08:26 AM - 18 comments
Indiana cannot forget Bob Knight: His legend, and wins, live on for the Hoosiers
posted by roberts to basketball at 08:06 AM - 1 comment
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
September 11, 2010
Mayweather's Racist Pacquiao Rant Ignored: One week after boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. went on a racist tirade in an Internet video chat about rival Manny Pacquiao, making such comments as "we're going to cook that little yellow chump" and "we're going to cook that [bleeper] up with some cats and dogs," USA Today sports columnist Mike LoPresti doesn't understand why the comments didn't spark outrage or draw wide media attention. "Is it because nobody cares about boxing?" he asks. "One more time, boxing has given us a reason to dismiss it as a sport that's turned into grimy carnival act."
posted by rcade to boxing at 07:39 PM - 3 comments
Rams are NFL's Least Popular Team: The St. Louis Rams are the NFL's least popular team nationally, according to a new study by the Nielsen media-research firm. Rated on factors including local and national TV ratings, mentions on the Internet and visits to the teams official web site, the Rams scored 78 points lower than the Dallas Cowboys in first place. "When you've won as much as we have recently, it's not surprising," said team exec Kevin Demoff.
posted by rcade to football at 06:48 PM - 9 comments
Ken Burns Takes Swing at Barry Bonds: The Tenth Inning, Ken Burns' sequel to his PBS documentary series Baseball, picks up in the 1990s and tells the "Shakespearean" tale of Barry Bonds. "[W]hat we wanted to do was go beyond the binary response of good or bad with regard to Barry Bonds -- indeed, the whole steroids era and all of those caught up in it, a horrific mix -- and try to show a complicated and nuanced portrait of him. To come to terms with why that Faustian bargain was made at the end of the 1998 season."
posted by rcade to baseball at 04:41 PM - 0 comments
Did Religion Affect Corey Pavin's Ryder Cup Picks?: A piece by John Paul Newport in the Wall Street Journal suggests that U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin stacked the team with his fellow born-again Christians and members of the PGA Tour's weekly Bible study sessions. The outward religiosity of some American golfers "weirds a lot of people out" in Europe, Newport writes. "The British tabloids will hop on it and hit it hard," predicted Paul Azinger.
posted by rcade to golf at 03:14 PM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
September 10, 2010
Former NBA Player Swindled Mom Out of Home: Former NBA player Rumeal Robinson, convicted yesterday on 11 federal counts including bank bribery and wire fraud for misusing $700,000 in business loans, swindled his mother out of her home in 2006. He tricked her into signing over the house -- on a road named Rumeal Robinson Place -- and sold it for $1 million without her knowledge. "He's not a nice person," said Ford, who adopted Robinson when he was a homeless 10-year-old.
posted by rcade to basketball at 07:24 PM - 3 comments
Enjoy 'Real Football' While You Can: The New York Times invited one of the frequent sports commenters on its web site to give his take on the upcoming season. Ian Nicol used the opportunity th suggest that the sport as we know it is doomed. "[G]rab a beer and enjoy what may be one of the last seasons of the nasty old game," Ian Nicol writes. "Just another one of those things -- like the Soviet Union or the joys of driving a gas guzzler -- that may be impossible to explain to future generations."
posted by rcade to football at 06:50 PM - 2 comments
Brady Becomes NFL's Top Paid Player: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has agreed to a four-year contract extension with $48.5 million guaranteed that makes him the league's top paid player. Yahoo claims that Brady, who turned 33 last month, wants to play 10 more seasons. Reciever Miles Austin also signed a new deal with the Dallas Cowboys.
posted by rcade to football at 05:53 PM - 6 comments
Joe Montana Debunks 'Rudy': Joe Montana, who played for Notre Dame with Rudy Ruettiger, said the 1993 film named for him takes some liberties with the truth. "Well, the crowd wasn't chanting. No one threw in their jerseys," Montana said on Dan Patrick's radio show. "He did get in the game. ... He did get a sack." Ruettiger corrects some of the film on his own web site, though he does assert, "Rudy's Dream was real, the tackle was real, the carry off was real. The Struggle was real. The Victory was real."
posted by rcade to football at 03:05 PM - 8 comments
Giants Closer Suffers from 'Too Much Awesome': San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson currently leads the National League with 41 saves. That's not why you'll remember this guy after seeing this interview with Jim Rome.
posted by rcade to baseball at 01:54 PM - 9 comments
Fantasy Champions League: Code for league is 45505-9565. That is all.
posted by trox to fantasy at 10:10 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 13 comments
September 09, 2010
The Hoser's NFL Picks 2010 -- Week One: NFL picks that are confounded by a grown man referring to himself as "The Meow Meow" on national TV.
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 05:34 PM - 15 comments
NFL Official Moves to Broadcast Booth: Mike Pereira, the former NFL chief of officiating, will be a network analyst on Fox games this season. "I'm going to cite the rules and give my opinions," said Pereira, who may be the first zebra to work games as an announcer.
posted by rcade to football at 04:48 PM - 4 comments
The Royal Bank of Scotland moves to force George Gillett and Tom Hicks to sell Liverpool: Will potential new owners get a foreclosure price? And what does this mean for the Reds on the pitch?
posted by trox to soccer at 04:05 PM - 5 comments
Dan Hampton: not teaching sensitivity courses any time soon. You have to admire a guy who goes right back to the stove to find out if the pan is still hot. Or perhaps not.
posted by yerfatma to football at 02:50 PM - 9 comments
Russian Coach: Soviets Won Fairly in Munich: The American coach of the current Russian basketball team said that the Soviet Union won legitimately over the U.S. in the 1972 Munich Olympics -- a game in which they got three last-second chances and the U.S. declined its silver medals in protest. "I hate to say it as an American, but it looks like the Russians were right," David Blatt said. "The American team was not cheated. Funny things happened, but in reality it was fair."
posted by rcade to basketball at 01:54 PM - 6 comments
Parcells Steps Aside in Miami: Bill Parcells is turning over control of the Miami Dolphins to general manager Jeff Ireland, a move announced in a three-sentence press statement. Parcells was executive vice president of football operations for the team and is now described as a "daily consultant."
posted by rcade to football at 09:14 AM - 15 comments
Tom Brady in Car Wreck: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was involved in a two-car accident near his Boston home that occurred around 6:15 a.m. Thursday morning. Brady was "pretty banged up" but refused medical treatment, according to a local news station, and the other driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
posted by rcade to football at 08:59 AM - 23 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
September 08, 2010
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 11: Decisive Labour Day wins may set the tone for the second half, but in our Pick 'Em, nothing is even close to being decided. Join the chaos and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 09:21 PM - 20 comments
Trevor Hoffman Notches 600th Career Save in Brewers Victory: Trevor Hoffman has come a long way. Who would have guessed back in 1989 that the skinny shortstop and 3rd baseman taken in the 11th round of the amateur draft by the Cincinnati Reds would someday make history as Major League Baseball's all time saves leader?
posted by BornIcon to baseball at 03:41 PM - 4 comments
Cleaning Up Pro Football: "The players don't do their own laundry. It's done, rather, by a fraternity of football-laundry specialists that include a Coral Gables, Fla., bon vivant, an old yellow dog who was on death row and a nice young couple in Berea, Ohio."
As Stadiums Vanish, Their Debt Lives On: It’s the gift that keeps on taking. The old Giants Stadium, demolished to make way for New Meadowlands Stadium, still carries about $110 million in debt, or nearly $13 for every New Jersey resident, even though it is now a parking lot. New Jerseyans are hardly alone in paying for stadiums that no longer exist. Residents of Seattle’s King County owe more than $80 million for the Kingdome, which was razed in 2000. The story has been similar in Indianapolis and Philadelphia. In Houston, Kansas City, Mo., Memphis and Pittsburgh, residents are paying for stadiums and arenas that were abandoned by the teams they were built for.
posted by tommytrump to general at 12:11 PM - 18 comments
A-Rod Makes RBI History: New York Yankess slugger Alex Rodriguez hit a solo homer Monday that gave him 100 RBIs for 14 Major League seasons. He's now alone in that category ahead of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx, who each had 13 100 RBI seasons. "It's an amazing number. It just shows you how consistent he's been and how healthy he's been in his career to be able to do something like that," manager Joe Girardi said.
posted by rcade to baseball at 09:21 AM - 13 comments
Buckeye Gets Standing Ovation in Ann Arbor: A little less than three years ago, Brock Mealer was told he had a one percent chance to walk again after a Christmas Eve car accident that killed his father and his brother's girlfriend. On Saturday, the Ohio State graduate received a standing ovation as he led the Michigan Wolverines onto the field before the season opener.
posted by rcade to football at 08:28 AM - 5 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
September 07, 2010
Sources: Reggie Bush Will Lose Heisman: Reggie Bush will become the first player in the 75-year history of the Heisman Trophy to have the award taken away from him, Yahoo Sports has been told by "two sources close to the Heisman trust." The NCAA ruled in June that Bush committed multiple violations by accepting cash, gifts and other impermissible benefits while playing for USC during his 2005 Heisman-winning season.
posted by rcade to football at 02:45 PM - 44 comments
Hockey's best players by the numbers they wore, Part I (00-33): Part II (34-66), Part III (67-99).
#4: Orr before Beliveau? FAIL.
#10: Francis before Lafleur? FAIL.
#69: Angelstad over ... no one else has ever worn this number? WEIRD.
posted by rumple to hockey at 01:56 PM - 17 comments
SNIT!: Badass Japanese Precision Walking Competition. Craziness starts at 1:45, and just gets better from there on (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to other at 12:05 PM - 6 comments
Mr Spaceman, Will You Please Take Me Along for the Ride?: Bill Lee, The Spaceman, baseball curmudgeon, subject of a Warren Zevon song, marijuana advocate, has become the oldest pitcher to win a professional baseball game at the age of 63 (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to baseball at 08:27 AM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
September 06, 2010
Coach Interference Costs Rangers in Loss: An umpire ruled that Texas Rangers third base coach Dave Anderson touched runner Michael Young during a ninth inning rally Sunday, causing Young to be called out on interference and giving the Minnesota Twins a 6-5 win. MLB video.
posted by rcade to baseball at 07:30 PM - 8 comments
Usain Bolt Wants to Play Soccer: World champion Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt said that when his track career ends he'll attempt to play professional soccer. "I always watch those guys and I think I could be a professional footballer," said Bolt, who believes he has four more years in his current sport. "I'm definitely a good player - a defensive or attacking midfielder."
posted by rcade to olympics at 01:41 PM - 21 comments
Ravens reach agreement with T.J. Houshmandzadeh: Add another possession receiver to the Ravens. Baltimore surprisingly reached agreement with T.J. Houshmandzadeh on a one-year, $855,000 contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal is so low because Houshmandzadeh is guaranteed $7 million this year; Seattle will still have to pay him $6.15 million to make up the difference.
posted by BornIcon to football at 11:44 AM - 6 comments
Bob Arum's Son Dies in Hiking Accident: John Arum, the son of boxing promoter Bob Arum, has been found dead in North Cascades National Park after a fall of 300 feet or more that occurred while he was hiking. The younger Arum was 80 peaks into a quest to reach the summit of the 100 highest peaks in Washington state. He was 49.
posted by rcade to other at 09:57 AM - 2 comments
Revis and Jets Agree on New Contract: The Jets announced early Monday that they have agreed to terms with the All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis, who missed all of training camp because he was unhappy with his contract. The Jets had been preparing to head into the first week of the season without Revis, whom Coach Rex Ryan has often described as the best defensive player in the N.F.L.
posted by BornIcon to football at 07:44 AM - 8 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
September 05, 2010
Nobody Wants to Visit Boise: As it tries to become a national championship contender, Boise State has a maddeningly difficult time scheduling home-and-home series with teams from the BCS conferences. "I can find plenty of guarantee games," Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier said. But most deals are like the one bringing the Broncos to Maryland to play the Virginia Tech Hokies.
posted by rcade to football at 06:34 PM - 8 comments
Padres Lose Ninth Straight Game: The Colorado Rockies won 6-2 on the road to hand the reeling NL West-leading San Diego Padres their ninth straight loss on Saturday. "It's almost like we're waiting for something bad to happen," said Padres third baseman Chase Headley. Their lead over the San Francisco Giants has shrunk to two games.
posted by rcade to baseball at 11:44 AM - 2 comments
Terry Bradshaw Rips Into Today's NFL Stars: Terry Bradshaw took shots at NFL players Ben Roethlisberger ("I pray they don't cut [his suspension] to four games"), Kendell Langford ("Here is a guy wearing a $50,000 earring to practice") and Brett Favre ("You kiss his ass long enough, that's what happens") along with coach Rex Ryan ("He doesn't play; easy for him to shoot his mouth") during a feisty luncheon speech in Shreveport, La., Wednesday.
posted by rcade to football at 09:54 AM - 11 comments
Can I Haz Stanley Cup?: Professional hockey goalies usually wear intimidating custom masks, but HC Lada goalie/ Tampa Bay Lightening draftee Vasiliy Koshechkin, whose name is similar to the Russian word for kitten, decided to go in a different direction (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to hockey at 08:54 AM - 5 comments
September 04, 2010
Cardinals release Matt Leinart: And there was not a lot of trade interest.
posted by roberts to football at 05:29 PM - 17 comments
Team Executes Perfect Fumblerooski: In a 53-13 loss to Wake Forest, Presbyterian pulled off a fumblerooski trick play for a long touchdown.
posted by rcade to football at 04:12 PM - 7 comments
Fans Brawl at US Open Match: A fight in the stands between a young man and a middle-aged woman and her father interrupted a second-round U.S. Open match between Novak Djokovic and Philipp Petzschner. "I hope it was no Serbian up there," Djokovic said.
posted by rcade to tennis at 08:54 AM - 34 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
September 03, 2010
Patrick Crayton finally gets his wish to be traded.: Dallas received only future considerations, likely a late-round draft pick. The club figured it was better than cutting him and getting nothing, plus it puts him in the other conference.
posted by sgtcookzane to football at 10:52 PM - 1 comment
Steelers' Leftwich Injures Knee: Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich, expected to replace Ben Roethlisberger during his suspension, injured his left knee in the second quarter of Pittsburgh's final preseason game and is out indefinitely. Charlie Batch, come on down.
posted by rcade to football at 05:43 PM - 6 comments
Still need 1 more... : or one less. Looks like the fantasy league is still in need of one more team before the draft on Sunday. It seems odd we can't find one more person to play, but if we can\'t by draft day I give permission to drop me from the league as I think I was the last to join. (and what's with the added s after contraction?)
posted by scully to fantasy at 02:53 PM - 8 comments
Last Chance for Several First Round Picks: Several once-acclaimed first round picks are getting what could be their last shot in the NFL: Seattle Seahawks receiver Mike Williams, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback-returner Adam "Don't Call Me Pacman" Jones, New York Giants offensive lineman Shawn Andrews and Baltimore Ravens receiver Donte' Stallworth.
posted by rcade to football at 11:09 AM - 2 comments
Football or Neutron Bomb?: Sao Paulo, Brazil. With a population upwards of 11 million people and a population density of more than 7,000 people per square kilometre, it is a pretty crowded place. But on July 2, 2010 during the second half of the Brazil-Netherlands World Cup quarterfinal, the streets were completely deserted (via MetaFilter).
posted by rcade to soccer at 09:21 AM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
September 02, 2010
Football Outsiders' 24 Laws of Football: Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders has summed up seven years of research on his site with 24 laws of football, including "Running on third-and-short is more likely to convert than passing on third-and-short" and "[a] running back with 370 or more carries during the regular season will usually suffer either a major injury or a loss of effectiveness the following year, unless he is named Eric Dickerson."
posted by rcade to football at 05:12 PM - 5 comments
Science Confirms Amazing 1997 Free Kick: The incredible curving 115-foot free kick by Brazil's Roberto Carlos against France in 1997 was not a fluke, scientists have determined in an experiment involving tiny plastic balls and a slingshot. "People often noticed that Carlos' free kick had been shot from a remarkably long distance, we show in our paper that this is not a coincidence, but a necessary condition for generating a spiral trajectory," said researchers Christophe Clanet and David Quere.
posted by rcade to soccer at 04:40 PM - 11 comments
Nyjer Morgan Ignites Nationals-Marlins Brawl: After a message pitch went behind his back, Washington Nationals center fielder Nyjer Morgan charged Florida Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad Wednesday night and was clotheslined by first baseman Gaby Sanchez after landing a punch, sparking a benches-clearing brawl between the teams. Morgan had been hit by another Volstad pitch two innings earlier after separating the shoulder of Marlins catcher Brett Hayes in a collision during the previous game. "It was a hard play, and I understand there are going to be some bad feelings," Morgan said. "You've got to get me back. They hit me the first time, and I let it go. But when they throw at me again, I've got to go."
posted by rcade to baseball at 10:05 AM - 27 comments
Jim Brown Goes to Town on Mike Holmgren: NFL legend Jim Brown is skipping his own ring of honor induction with the Cleveland Browns this season and has fired off an angry public letter to team president Mike Holmgren about how he's been treated by the organization. "Your most powerful statement about me was that, and I must laugh, one monkey don't stop the show," Brown wrote to Holmgren. "I've never danced in the end zone, I always gave the ball to the referee, so you should know I don't dance. ... Mike, there's only one thing that I control in life, and that's being a man."
posted by rcade to football at 08:59 AM - 10 comments
F1 Driver Mark Webber: How I Got My Body: In an ongoing Guardian feature called How I Got My Body, F1 driver Mark Webber describes the physical demands of his sport. Here's how he got his worst scar: "A plug popped off one of the pipes in the cockpit, and the heat basically blowtorched through my fireproofs, through my underwear, and peeled back the skin on my hip. It happened early on in the race and I told my team I was thinking about retiring."
posted by rcade to auto racing at 08:24 AM - 8 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
September 01, 2010
Cardinals Shopping Leinart Around: The Arizona Cardinals have begun calling teams with quarterback needs to gauge interest in Matt Leinart, the former first-round pick and Heisman Trophy winner at U.S.C. who has failed on numerous occasions to seize the Cardinals’ starting job. He now appears to have been supplanted by Derek Anderson, who was released by the Cleveland Browns in the off-season.
posted by BornIcon to football at 04:23 PM - 13 comments
Troy Polamalu's Hair Insured for $1 Million: Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu's hair has been insured for $1 million by Head and Shoulders, the shampoo brand that he endorses. Spending 45 minutes before each game just on his hair, Polamalu explains, "It's correlated to what a warrior in the past would do to prepare for war. ... [Y]ou can almost get into the mind-way, preparing for some type of battle when you are doing your hair."
posted by rcade to football at 03:34 PM - 7 comments
Last Surviving Player in First World Cup Dies: Francisco "Canoncito" Varallo, the last living player from the original World Cup in 1930, has died in Argentina at the age of 100. He scored 194 goals for his club Boca Juniors, a team record broken this year by current striker Martin Palermo. When interviewed last year, Varallo was still bitter about that 4-2 loss to Uruguay. "We weren't gutsy enough," he said. "How I cried that day. Even now when I look back it still makes me angry."
posted by rcade to soccer at 08:19 AM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
Who wants to bet Tiger never set a golf course on fire like this?: Over the weekend, a golfer at Shady Canyon Golf Course caused a fire when he inadvertently struck a rock while swinging his club in the rough. Ground and air units responded to the blaze, which scorched 12 acres before being put out.
posted by NerfballPro to golf at 03:18 AM - 7 comments