12/21/24
Archives for September 2013
September 30, 2013
NBA Finals Likely to Adopt 2-2-1-1-1 Format: The NBA's competition committee has recommended that the NBA Finals return to the home/road 2-2-1-1-1 format abandoned by new NBA Commissioner David Stern in 1984, dumping the 2-3-2 format that gives the second-seeded team a home-court advantage through the first five games. The league's Board of Governors is expected to approve the change in October in time for the upcoming season's championship series.
posted by rcade to basketball at 02:33 PM - 6 comments
Cubs Fire Dale Sveum: The Chicago Cubs have fired manager Dale Sveum after two seasons and are expected to make a run at New York Yankees skipper Joe Girardi, whose contract is up in October. The Cubs were 70 games below 500 in 324 games with Sveum at the helm. In other managerial moves, the Minnesota Twins have extended Ron Gardenhire for two more years and Davey Johnson is ending his managerial career, leaving an opening at the Washington Nationals.
posted by rcade to baseball at 01:07 PM - 3 comments
Rays, Rangers Meet in One-Game Playoff for Wild Card Spot: The Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Indians all finished the regular season on a high note, with the Indians winning 10 in a row, the Rangers seven and the Rays eight out of 10. The Indians earned the AL's top wild card spot, one game ahead of the Rangers and Rays, who play tonight in a one-game playoff for the other. Nelson Cruz returns from suspension after 50 games and is eligible to play.
posted by rcade to baseball at 11:20 AM - 13 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 22 comments
September 29, 2013
'A Zen Master with a Mean Cutter': "The son of a fisherman, he grows up playing baseball on a beach in Panama with a milk carton for a glove, a stick for a bat and whatever was available for a ball; after being signed by a Yankees scout for $3,500, he does his apprenticeship in the minors, joins the Yankees and struggles at first, and then suddenly hits his stride." The Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times literary critic Michiko Kakutani closes the book on Mariano Rivera.
posted by rcade to baseball at 11:18 AM - 0 comments
USC Fires Lane Kiffin: University of Southern California coach Lane Kiffin has been fired after the Trojans lost to Arizona State, 62-41, dropping to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Pac 10. Kiffin was 28-15, finishing 7-6 last season after being ranked No. 1. Months after his hire in 2010, USC was hit with a two-year bowl ban and lost 30 scholarships over lavish gifts received by Reggie Bush during the head coaching tenure of Pete Carroll.
posted by rcade to football at 09:19 AM - 14 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 14 comments
September 28, 2013
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
September 27, 2013
Closing Scene: Hugs and Tears in Rivera’s Last Home Game: It was supposed to be a meaningless game, the first at Yankee Stadium in 20 years, but there was nothing meaningless about it for Mariano Rivera or the announced crowd of 48,675 that came to say goodbye to an icon.
posted by BornIcon to baseball at 08:11 AM - 13 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
September 26, 2013
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 14: Rounding the pole into the home stretch, we run smack dab into a big ol' pile of narrative context. Everybody knows who they are, who they're playing, and what they're playing for. Grab a bucket of enlightenment and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 04:56 PM - 14 comments
Yankees Out of Playoff Contention: For only the second time in 19 years, the New York Yankees will not be a part of the Major League Baseball postseason. The Yankees trail the Cleveland Indians for the final wild card spot in the American League by six victories with four games remaining. Any retooling for next season will occur without starting pitcher Andy Pettitte or closer Mariano Rivera, who are both retiring, and Alex Rodriguez is facing a season-long suspension over allegations that he used performance-enhancing drugs. "It's extremely disappointing," manager Joe Girardi said. "And it's back to the drawing board."
posted by rcade to baseball at 03:08 PM - 21 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 11 comments
September 25, 2013
Michael Jackson Evicted from Craven Cottage: New Fulham FC owner Shahid Khan has removed a Michael Jackson statue from its spot outside the team's Craven Cottage field, where two years ago it was put up by former owner and Jackson pal Mohamed Al Fayed. Fan jeers over that move prompted Al Fayed to rage, "If some stupid fans don't understand and appreciate such a gift this guy gave to the world they can go to hell. I don't want them to be fans. If they don't understand and don't believe in things I believe in they can go to Chelsea, they can go to anywhere else. ... The last game he attended here with me, he was running like a child, he loved the place. He loved Fulham and he wanted to attend all of the matches." Jackson only went to one match in 1999 against Wigan Athletic. Khan gave the statue back to Al Fayed.
posted by rcade to soccer at 04:21 PM - 13 comments
Archie Manning faces family history: Archie Manning doesn't cotton to the notion that he and his wife Olivia are the heads of the First Family of the Southeastern Conference. For one thing, it's a presumption of self-importance, and Archie wasn't raised to be anything but humble.
posted by BornIcon to football at 10:04 AM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
September 24, 2013
How the NFL Fleeces Taxpayers: Easterbrook lights into the NFL and politicians.
posted by billsaysthis to culture at 06:20 PM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
September 23, 2013
Rashad Johnson Gives NFL the Finger: Arizona Cardinals safety Rashad Johnson took off his left glove during Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints -- and the tip of his middle finger remained behind. He's undergone surgery to prevent infection but the tip can't be reattached. "He is unsure how it happened and will watch game film Monday to try to get a better idea," ESPN reports.
posted by rcade to football at 01:36 PM - 4 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 22 comments
September 22, 2013
Football as Religion?: Dennis Bergkamp on motivation, Arsene Wenger and the love of the game.
posted by owlhouse to soccer at 09:44 PM - 4 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 30 comments
September 21, 2013
September 20, 2013
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments
September 19, 2013
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 13: Thirteen! We're at the baker's dozen, which actually used to be a donut chain in Canada before Tim Hortons showed up and mauled it into oblivion. Double-double down and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 02:33 PM - 13 comments
Ken Norton, a Championship Fighter Who Broke Ali’s Jaw, Is Dead at 70: Ken Norton, who fought three memorable fights with Muhammad Ali, breaking his jaw in winning their first bout, then losing twice, and who went on to become the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, died Wednesday in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nev. He was 70.
posted by BornIcon to boxing at 10:33 AM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
September 18, 2013
Browns Trade Trent Richardson to Colts: The Cleveland Browns have traded second-year running back Trent Richardson, the third overall pick in the 2012 draft, to the Indianapolis Colts for its first-round pick in the 2014 draft. The Browns, who are stockpiling picks towards getting a franchise quarterback, are bringing in veteran running back Willis McGahee for a physical in pursuit of signing him.
posted by rcade to football at 07:29 PM - 25 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
September 17, 2013
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 15 comments
September 16, 2013
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments
September 15, 2013
Chris Horner, age 41, becomes the oldest winner of a Grand Tour: I really want to believe he isn't doping. What Horner did in the Vuelta was nothing short of incredible - so I guess by definition it hardly seems credible.
posted by sbacharach to other at 03:43 PM - 1 comment
Floyd Mayweather puts on dominating display in win: Canelo Alvarez proved nothing more than easy money for Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. Mayweather turned one of the richest fights ever into just another $41.5 million payday Saturday night, dominating Alvarez from the opening bell and winning a majority decision in a masterful performance that left no doubt who the best fighter of his era is.
posted by BornIcon to boxing at 10:38 AM - 3 comments
Japan Professsional Baseball: Balentien sets new single-season home run record: September 15, 2013: Wladimir Balentien of the Yakult Swallows set a new single-season home run record for Japan Professional Baseball, hitting #56 in the first inning off Hanshin pitcher Daiki Enokida for a two-run shot, and then extending his own record with #57, a solo shot (also off Enokida), in the third inning. The former record of 55 had been set by world homerun champion Sadaharu Oh of the Yomiuri Giants in 1964 and then equalled by Tuffy Rhodes (Kintetsu Buffaloes) in 2001 and Alex Cabrera (Seibu Lions) in 2002. Since the end of the 1985 season, when the record was first seriously challenged by Randy Bass (Hanshin Tigers), Oh's mark has sometimes been labelled the phoniest record in professional baseball because of the extent to which Japanese pitcher and coaches had gone to prevent foreign players in particular from surpassing it. Unlike Bass, Rhodes and Cabrera, Balentien's chase has not been frustrated by a similar chain of intentional walks as he has closed in on 55. Further, his accomplishment comes with 19 games still remaining on Yakult's schedule, so it will be interesting to see how far he can extend the new record.
posted by billinnagoya to baseball at 08:11 AM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
September 14, 2013
ESPN Fantasy Hockey League Needs Teams: My ESPN Fantasy Hockey league Koharski's Donuts needs four more members. It's a head-to-head league with a snake draft taking place Saturday Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. So far all owners are from SportsFilter.
posted by rcade to hockey at 11:14 AM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
September 13, 2013
Seahawks Dress Cops Like 49er Fans: Unruly Seattle Seahawks may want to think twice before picking on somebody wearing San Francisco 49ers gear during Sunday's game at CenturyLink Field. Some undercover law enforcement officers will be dressed in the opposing team's apparel as they patrol the stadium for "fans exhibiting unruly and inconsiderate behavior," the Seahawks announced Wednesday.
posted by rcade to football at 03:18 PM - 10 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 16 comments
September 12, 2013
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 12: Topsy-turvy results in the back end of the Labour Day home-and-home, as only Calgary pulls off the sweep. Everyone else is adjusting their watches as they fly cross-country into the final seven games of the season. Stretch your drives and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 12:04 PM - 13 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
September 11, 2013
Dos a Cero, Again: The US Men's National Team beat Mexico 2-0 for the fourth time in a row in Columbus last night and, with Honduras getting a draw against Panama, became one of five teams to qualify for the World Cup Finals next summer. With the loss, Mexico assured themselves of a tough road simply to qualify.
Joining the US in Brazil will be Argentina, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Italy, while Jordan won a playoff to, well, playoff against the fifth place team from South America. Fomer USMNT coach Bob Bradley's Egypt side finished their AFC group stage a perfect 6-0 with a 4-2 over Guinea.
posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 10:38 AM - 10 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 31 comments
September 10, 2013
Matt Besler's Yellow Card a Complete Farce: U.S. defender Matt Besler is "extremely disappointed" with a yellow-card decision that left him suspended for Tuesday's World Cup qualifying match against Mexico, he said on Twitter. Video shows Costa Rica winger Joel Campbell walk behind Besler and then fake being knocked to the ground, for which Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez gives Besler a completely unmerited yellow.
posted by rcade to soccer at 05:14 PM - 5 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments
September 09, 2013
Columnist: 'Miserable Jaguars Must Sign Tim Tebow Immediately': The Jacksonville Jaguars lost 28-2 to the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday. The offense led by quarterback Blaine Gabbert was so bad Jacksonville didn't advance beyond its own 36-yard line until four minutes into the fourth quarter. Since the Chiefs were the NFL's worst team last year by record, it suggests a miserable year ahead for the nattily behatted Two-Tones. Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi, a former sportswriter in Jacksonville, gazes in despair and asks, "What's the worst that could happen if they signed Tebow? ... The Jaguars are already miserable. So what if they continue their misery under Tebow?"
posted by rcade to football at 07:17 PM - 59 comments
Bruno Mars to Play Super Bowl Halftime: Bruno Mars will play this season's Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 2, 2014, the singer announced on Fox NFL Sunday. The 27-year-old Mars, the fastest male artist to score five No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 since Elvis Presley, began performing as a child Elvis impersonator. He's performed at the Grammys, VMAs and Saturday Night Live. Madonna's 2012 Super Bowl performance currently ranks as the most-watched event in U.S. television history, with over 114 million viewers tuning in.
posted by rcade to football at 11:15 AM - 25 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
September 08, 2013
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
September 07, 2013
Tokyo Wins the 2020 Summer Olympics: After Madrid was eliminated, Tokyo beat Istanbul in the final vote for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Concerns over the lingering environmental effects of the Fukushima nuclear disaster may have been outweighed by concerns over Middle East unrest and Spanish economic woes. This puts the Olympics in East Asia for consecutive events, with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang, South Korea.
posted by Etrigan to olympics at 04:58 PM - 8 comments
U.S. Soccer's 12-Game Winning Streak Ends: Costa Rica scored two goals in the first 10 minutes and traded goals in the final 80 for a 3-1 home victory over the U.S. in World Cup qualifying Friday night. Clint Dempsey scored the U.S. goal on a penalty kick shortly before the half. The loss ends a 12-game winning streak for the Americans, but they're in second place with 13 points and in strong position to move on with a win Tuesday against Mexico Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio.
posted by rcade to soccer at 10:46 AM - 13 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
September 06, 2013
Peyton Manning Throws 7 TDs, Broncos Rout Ravens: The Baltimore Ravens, opening the NFL season on the road unlike previous Super Bowl champions because of a scheduling issue, gave up seven touchdown passes by Peyton Manning in a 49-27 Denver Broncos rout. Manning was 27-of-42 for 462 yards and tied an NFL record for most TD passes in a game. The 37-year-old still has room for improvement: His 141.1 QB rating is not quite a perfect 158.3.
posted by rcade to football at 07:36 AM - 24 comments
September 05, 2013
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 13 comments
September 04, 2013
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 11: It's the back half of the traditional Labour Day home-and-home, which means that if you forget to make your picks, I'll just re-use your picks from last week. Talk about a labour saving device! Put down your hammers and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 09:13 PM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 20 comments
September 03, 2013
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
September 02, 2013
Ray Lewis: Super Bowl Blackout Was No Accident: Retired Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis doesn't believe the blackout that interrupted Super Bowl 0x2F was an accident. "I'm not gonna accuse nobody of nothing -- because I don't know facts," Lewis said. "But you're a zillion-dollar company, and your lights go out? No. No way. ... [Y]ou cannot tell me somebody wasn't sitting there and when they say, 'The Ravens (are) about to blow them out. Man, we better do something.' ... That's a huge shift in any game, in all seriousness. And as you see how huge it was because it let them right back in the game."
posted by rcade to football at 02:27 PM - 8 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 5 comments
September 01, 2013
It's all fun and games until you don't cover the spread.: The NFL regular season starts this Thursday. Join the SpoFi Gamblers and test your football knowledge. Or you can just flip a coin, puck, manhole cover, or any other disc you have laying around.
posted by MrFrisby to fantasy at 11:43 AM - 14 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments