The biggest star in baseball for San Diego since Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is heading east, after much speculation, to the Boston Red Sox.
According to ESPN.com. Gonzalez is going to the Red Sox for three minor league players. This trade will bolster the Red Sox lineup, and, if they sign either right fielder Jason Werth of the Philadelphia Phillies or right fielder Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Rays, we could see a possible lineup that could rival their rival, the Yankees.
The downside to this deal would be that Kevin Youkilis, a stand-out first baseman for the Sox, would move to third base - a position he has only played 24% of the time (338 times at 3B / 1390 times as a position player) during his three-year career for the Red Sox.
The pros for the Padres would be that they would be getting three young prospects - a year after having an aging lineup with shortstop Miguel Tejada (36 yrs old); pitcher Jon Garland (31); catcher Yorvit Torrealba (32); second baseman Scott Hairston (30); and pitcher Chris Young (31) - all of which who will NOT be with the team in 2011.
The cons for the Padres would be that they lost veteran prospects, and will also be losing a MAJORITY of their fans. The Padres were in first place in the National League West division for most of the season last year - mainly because of strong hitting by Gonzo and excellent pitching. Now that is gone, so they are now in a rebuilding mode. On top of that, San Diego is located near Mexico, and Gonzo attracted the latino fanbase for the Padres.
I would say that the Red Sox got the better end of the deal, but it's WAY TOO EARLY to make a correct decision - not until the All-Star break will we be able to make a definite conclusion.
In a surprising landslide, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto won the NL MVP vote over incumbent St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols. It's unusual to see the winner of the 'last vote' for the All-Star game to be the NL MVP:
The controversial news in the sporting world today revolves around soon-to-be New York Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter. In the top of the seventh inning, with his team down one run - 2-1 - Jeter was up to bat. The issue is about the HBP (Hit-By-Pitch). If a batter, such as Jeter, is hit by a pitch thrown by the pitcher, he is given a free pass to first place.
I'll let you see what took place last night in Tampa Bay:
And, the Academy Award for Best Actor goes to... Derek "Cheater" Jeter!
Nyjer Morgan, the speedy centerfielder for the Washington Nationals, got himself into a heap of trouble tonight. The Nationals were playing the Florida Marlins and were down 15-4 in the fourth inning, when Morgan got hit by a pitch by starting pitcher Chris Volstad. Instead of casually playing the rest of the inning, the feisty Morgan stole second base, then ALSO stole third base in a 11-run blowout.
A Washington Nationals fan on WashingtonPost.com said it best:
"The Fish announcers are complaining that Morgan stole bases after getting plunked the first time. Oh no!
It was the fifth inning! If one team can score 15 runs in four innings, the other one can. If you don't want him to steal bases, throw him out. One more reason to despise that franchise."
Fast-forward to the top of the sixth inning. The first pitch Morgan saw was a fastball behind him, which REALLY got him pissed-off. After a second, he charges the mound, and he and Chris Volstad throw connecting punches at each other. First baseman Gaby Sanchez (Marlins) comes charging in and completely levels Morgan, who is still throwing punches.
Take a look:
Unbelievable. Morgan will easily be suspended for 7 games, if not, more, for his actions tonight (especially cursing the crowd after his ejection). Volstad will probably get a 5 game suspension, and Sanchez possibly 3 games.
My prediction of a seven-game suspension would be added onto the past seven-game suspension he got because he was involved in another incident last month.
We shall see the end results by the end of the week.
Update (9.3.10): Morgan has been suspended for 8 games. Volstad has been suspended for 6 games. Gaby Sanchez has been suspended for 3 games.
I was right on the money on the Sanchez suspension, but was one game off for both Morgan and Volstad. How is that for accuracy?
Aroldis Chapman, welcome to the Big Leagues! Chapman is a rookie pitcher for the Reds (similar to Stephen Strasburg) and made his Major League debut as a relief pitcher last night against the Milwaukee Brewers.
He has unbelievable stuff, with his fastest pitch clocking at 103 mph! His slowest fastball in one inning of work was 99 mph, and repeatedly went into triple digits.
Take a look:
(Click on the picture below if you cannot see the above video)
The Reds will probably preserve him for the 2011 season, using him as a relief pitcher in the playoffs and as a starting pitcher next season, much like how the Tampa Bay Rays treated their starting ace pitcher David Price last season and this season.
Hopefully, his arm won't fall off like Strasburg's did this season...
No, I am NOT talking about the video game series that was present in the early '00s. I am talking about one of the rarest feats in a baseball game - the triple play. It is when three outs occur on one play.
The most common of these triple plays is when there is a runner on both first and second base, with no outs, and the batter hits a ground ball to the third baseman. He would pick the ball up, step on third base, pass the ball to the second baseman standing on second base, then pass the ball to the first baseman, who has one foot on first base.
Such an event occurred in the fourth inning between the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners yesterday:
Click the picture to see how it's done!
Triple plays occur at least once a year, and the Yankees pulled off a similar one against the same Oakland Athletics in the beginning of the season:
Plays like these are fun to watch when you see them in action!
Wow. Where do I begin? After the addition of ex-Ranger/Yankee/Diamondback manager Buck Showalter (who was an ESPN analyst prior to his position as O's manager), the Orioles are now 6-1 - with three of those wins as walk-offs (game-winning hits).
Imagine if they had fired Dave Trembley at the beginning of the season - they could have possibly been in the hunt for the Wild Card slot!
Showalter was a GREAT addition to the Orioles' franchise. He was the Manager of the Year in '94 for the Yanks, and 10 years later for the Rangers. He has changed the Orioles' environment for the better, from their listless state to now a new, promising state.
From this...
On April 10, the Orioles had a paid attendance of 9,129 - the smallest crowd at Oriole Park EVER. On the day Buck Showalter managed his first MLB game for the Orioles, the attendance was 16,723- a 16% increase in attendance. Such shows that one person can change a franchise for the better - heck, look what LeBron did with the Cleveland Cavaliers' organization when he first entered the league!
To hopefully this in the future!
With young players in pitchers Jake Arrieta (age 24), Brian Matusz (age 23), Matt Albers (age 27); catcher Matt Wieters (age 24); center-fielder Adam Jones (age 25) and right-fielder Nick Markakis (age 27), the Orioles have a bright future in front of them, and it all starts with the manager - Buck Showalter.
After watching Milwaukee Brewers' second baseman Rickie Weeks speed around the bases for an inside-the-park home run (where a player hits the ball and runs around the bases and touches home without being called out) on Saturday, that got me thinking...
What are the top 10 best inside-the park home runs this year? (We've had 17 inside-the-park HR's in 2010).
(Clicking on each picture will link you to the specific home run. All videos and images are courtesy of MLB)
10. Run, Rickie, Run!
By the time the center fielder caught the ball off the wall, Rickie was already at third base! Man, he's fast!
9. Double Trouble
It's amazing when a player gets one inside-the-parker in a season. It's surprising when a player gets two before the All-Star break! But Tony Gwynn Jr, the son of Hall-of-Fame first baseman Tony Gwynn Sr., is lightning fast, and I bet will get more of these kinds of home runs in the future.
8. A Bautista Bomb!
Even home run kings (Jose Bautista has a MLB-leading 34 home runs as of August 7) have their share of inside-the-park HRs. He Michael Jordans himself (sticking his tongue out) after touching home base.
7. The Good...
David DeJesus of the Kansas City Royals got really lucky on this play. Michael Cuddyer, the outfielder, thought the ball went over the wall for a home run, but DeJesus kept on running... and got himself a round-tripper!
6. ...And the Bad and the Ugly
A few months later, DeJesus found himself on the wrong side of an inside-the-park home run. On Derek Jeter's first home run of that sort - yes, that is NOT a typo - DeJesus rams his right hand into the padding - the injury was a broken wrist, which would end DeJesus's promising season - He will miss the rest of the year with that injury.
5. Can you say 'Ouch'?
Detroit Tigers' outfielder Ryan Rayburn tried to catch this fly ball - but ended up colliding with the Indians' bullpen door. Luckily he was okay, but the team wasn't, with Johnny Peralta scoring an inside-the-park home run.
4. Drawing up an Opening Day Home Run
What an opening day for Arizona Diamondbacks' shortstop Stephen Drew! He caromed a shot off the center field wall - with the Padres' centerfielder misplaying the ball - and scoring an easy home run.
3.Bam!
If you thought that the previous seven players that hit these home runs were fortunate because of a defensive lapse, then Gerardo Parra must have been really fortunate. Two Atlanta Braves' outfielders - rookie Jason Heyward and veteran Nate McLouth - both newbies to the Braves' franchise this year - collided, with McLouth receiving the worst of the hit. He would never play the same way he did in 2009 with the Pirates after that collision
2. Anger Management in Action
Washington Nationals' centerfielder Nyjer Morgan - thinking that the ball left his glove and went over the wall - threw his glove in frustration, only to realize that the ball was still in play. Orioles' batter Adam "my name is not Pac-Man" Jones had an easy inside-the-park home run after that gaffe.
1. Huffin' and Puffin' his way home
San Francisco Giants' first baseman Aubrey Huff (the ex-Ray and Oriole) is not one of the nimblest baseball players in the League. He gets the #1 spot for both his quick feet and the announcer's amazement that Huff would hit a round-tripper.
This year, we have heard many of the referee/umpire blunders - whether the event is the semifinals of the World Cup in July or the one of hundreds of Major League Baseball games. This time last night, the latter occurred.
First, some background. Two months ago, on June 1, the Detroit Tigers had a perfect game going into the bottom half of the ninth and final inning. The pitcher was Armando Galarraga, and the first base umpire was Jim Joyce. On the supposed final at-bat of the game, Cleveland Indians' hitter Jason Donald hit a ground ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera, who was too far from the first base bag, lofted the ball to his pitcher, Galarraga. By the time Galarraga caught the ball, Joyce called the play safe. The perfect game was perfect no longer. Upon looking at the instant replay, Joyce knew he made a mistake, and, after the game, apologized to both the Tigers' organization and its fans (and those who had Galarraga in their fantasy baseball league)
The photo links to the youtube video of what actually happened during the game.
Now, fast-forward to yesterday, August 5. The game was between division rivals - the Philadelphia Phillies and the Florida Marlins in Miami. The game was tied at 4-all in the bottom of the ninth inning, with star shortstop Hanley Ramirez at second base (Runner in scoring position) and rookie Gaby Sanchez up to bat. I'll let you see as to what unfolded:
Video courtesy of MLB
As you see in the disgust of Marlins' manager Edwin Rodriguez and the outrage by Marlins' radio announcer, the ball wasclearlyfair, and third base umpire Bob Davidson did not see it that way. And, unlike Joyce, but similar to Koman Coulibaly - the infamous soccer referee that gave a no goal for the US when there was no penalty nor an offsides call - Davidson did NOT apologize - to the dismay of the Marlins' organization - to the fans, the front office and the players.
I believe that, like Joyce, Davidson should come out tomorrow morning to apologize for the gaffe he made in a crucial division game. Such small cases can actually make or break a team's season.
What I have noticed this year in MLB is that there are fewer dugout-emptying brawls than in previous years. Yesterday's game between the Indians and the Red Sox may have proved me wrong.
In the third inning, Red Sox starting pitcher hits Indians' right fielder Sin-Soo-Choo in the lower right leg. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Indians' relief pitcher Justin Germano pitches behind Red Sox designated hitter David "Big Papi" Ortiz.
Then, here's where bad turns to worse. The next Indians' relief pitcher - Jensen Lewis - throws behind All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre. Beltre starts to storm the mound, but is held back by the umpire and Indians' catcher Lou Marson. Then, this happens:
Click on the image to see the drama! (photo and video courtesy of MLB)
I think this is the spark of a new rivalry this year - we'll see in the upcoming Red Sox - Indians games this week if more tempers flare after this mess.
Since this blog is not just about the NFL, I will talk about something amazing that happened yesterday - a Major League Baseball (MLB) player hit for the cycle yesterday - but more importantly, hit a walk-off home run to cap it off. What's a 'cycle', you say? I'll tell you. A cycle is when a player hits a single, a double, a triple AND a home run (not necesarily in that order) in the same game. And a 'walk-off home run' is a home run by a home team's player to win - and end - the game. It's basically like a sudden-death game-winning hit. The Colorado Rockies' player - Carlos Gonzalez - did both last night:
Click on the image to see the excitement! (photo courtesy of MLB)
Wow. The last time I made a post on my blog, Manny Ramirez was not yet suspended, the Wizards were jockeying for the last place crown in the NBA and were terrible, and there were thousands of NFL mock drafts floating around the net.
Since then, 37-year-old Raul Ibanez has been “en fuego,” the Wizards (still terrible) and the Kings got picks outside the top three (which helps the Wiz but not the Kings), and Maryland’s own Darrius Heyward-Bey was picked NUMBER 7 overall in last month’s NFL draft.
First off, lemme get to the MLB All-Star Balloting. After two months, there are lots of surprises in who’s in for the All-Star game. Let’s start in the National League, since the game will take place in the GatewayCity – St. Louis. With no surprise, Albert Pujols is leading all first basemen in votes with 1,240,395 – 713,230 votes ahead of Prince Fielder.
Likewise, Chase Utley is also winning the second base job by a large margin over Orlando Hudson. I find this surprising, since the lead between the two should be a lot less.
Based on the totals so far (as of May 30, 2009), Hudson has the better batting average, nearly double the amount of hits and more total bases. Otherwise, most of the other categories (Runs, RBI, Walks and Stolen Bases) are about the same. I would give the slightest of edges to Hudson.
For third base and shortstop, I see no complaints, other than the fact that Milwaukee Brewers fans (like Redskins fans a la 2008) are ballot stuffing. Otherwise, how are Rickie Weeks (out for season), Bill Hall, J.J. Hardy, Jason Kendall and Corey Hart in the top 10 of their positions? They are ALL having mediocre seasons, and thus shouldn’t even be in the top 10.
What also annoys me is that the Kendall and Pudge are 2 and 3 in voting for NL catchers. Both are veterans that are past their prime. To top it off, All-Star candidates Russell Martin and Brian McCann sit in fifth and sixth in voting – and they are having better seasons that either Pudge or Kendall.
Lastly in the NL are the outfielder positions. I agree that Ryan Braun – another Brewer – and Ibanez are 1-2 in the outfield. I disagree that Soriano is third and Manny – yeah, the same guy suspended for 50 games – is fifth. Soriano is having an off-year – and that could be because he’s having knee problems this month. This should be the order for the NL outfielders:
1.Braun
2.Ibanez
3.Beltran – All-Star-caliber season!
4.Shane Victorino
5.Matt Kemp – One of the main reasons the Dodgers are doing well w/o Manny
6.Adam Dunn
Now to the American League. I was listening to ESPN radio on Saturday afternoon, and I agreed with the commentator’s comments about the voting for the AL. First off, Morneau has better numbers than ALL three first basemen ahead of him – and he was AL MVP three years ago – something the top three first basemen haven’t done! Therefore, he should be starting in the All-Star game next month. I have no issues with the other infield slots – which Kinsler, Longoria, Jeter and Mauer are leading in their respective positions.
But I, once again have issues with the outfield voting. Currently, the top ten are as follows:
1. JasonBay
2. Josh Hamilton
3. Ichiro Suzuki
4. Ken Griffey Jr.
5. Nick Markakis
6. Carl Crawford
7. Nelson Cruz
8. Grady Sizemore
9. Jacoby Ellsbury
10. Torii Hunter
I understand the history behind Hamilton, but this is not 2008! He has had a Disabled List stint, and has not put up All-Star numbers this season. The same goes with Sizemore, who is currently on the DL with left elbow inflammation. The year is 2009, not 1999, people, so why is Junior in the top five in voting? He’s doing horrible as a DH/outfielder compared to the rest of the top 10 outfielders. Markakis, Crawford and Hunter are having career years, and should definitely not be outside the top four.
So here’s my revamped AL outfielders list:
Bay
Crawford
Markakis
Suzuki
Hunter
Ellsbury
Hamilton
Cruz
Sizemore
Granderson
Now that is all said and done, here’s my revamped list for the All Star Game.
National League
Catcher: Yadier Molina
First Base: Albert Pujols
Second Base: Chase Utley
Third Base: David Wright
Shortstop: Hanley Ramirez
Outfield: Braun, Ibanez and Beltran
American League
Catcher: Joe Mauer
First Base: Justin Morneau
Second Base: Ian Kinsler
Third Base: Evan Longoria
Shortstop: Derek Jeter
Outfield: Bay, Crawford and Markakis
I hope these are the results come July 14!
Video of the Day
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Hopefully tonight's MLB All-Star game will not be unwatchable, but instead a hard-fought slugfest. Look @ the top of the starting lineup for the American League. They have Ichiro batting leadoff, DJ next, then the tenacious trio of A-Rod, Big Papi and Vlad the Impaler. The NL has a starting lineup of Reyes, B*nds, Beltran, Junior, Wright and Fielder leading off the game. But that is just the cream of the crop.
The AL reserves, as well as the NL reserves, are also stacked. The AL has "Hip, hip Jorge!" Posada, 2006 AL MVP Morneau, Torii Hunter - who robbed Barry Bonds of a home run in Milwaukee - and "Manny being Manny" Ramirez. The NL has Derrek Lee, "Winnie-the-Pujols", Matt "I am on a" Holliday, Carlos Lee and Alfonso Soriano. And i haven't even gone to pitching.
The starting pitchers are Dan Haren - who has a superb 2.20 ERA, and Jake Peavy - the best pitcher in the National League. The AL has 12-2 Josh Beckett, reliever Jonathan Papelbon, an excellent closer in JJ Putz, and two of the best in the Major Leagues, Justin Verlander and Johan Santana. The NL has Francisco Cordero, who has 27 saves, a young phenom in Cole Hamels and the #1 closer all-time in Trevor Hoffman.
I believe that the National League will come up on top, winning 12 - 9.
Has anyone noticed the eerie similarities between many teams in different sports? I have.
For instance, there is the leader of his team, the player that won or could possibly win many MVP trophies - yes, I am talking about Canadian-born and the face of the Phoenix Suns' franchise, point guard Steve Nash, and 2007 Super Bowl MVP and the face of the Indianapolis Colts' franchise, quarterback Peyton Manning. Before last year, these two teams - the Colts and the Suns - would constantly meet in the semifinals, being denied every time by the better team.
There are also the similarities between the two dynasties in both the NBA and the NFL. Both the New England Patriots and the San Antonio Spurs won 3+ titles in the last five years. Both have a nonchalant leader - power forward Tim Duncan and quarterback Tom Brady. Both have a top-five defense in the league annually, and have a top-notch veteran defensive stopper - small forward Bruce Bowen and strong safety Rodney Harrison. Lastly, both dynasties have a key veteran that they signed in the offseason - sharpshooter Michael Finley and outside linebacker Adalius Thomas.
There is the all-purpose player - running back LaDanian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers and small forward LeBron James. There is also the free-spending team - the Washington Redskins, New York Knicks and the New York Yankees.
The top rivalries in both the NFL and MLB are alike, since one of the teams in both rivalries are reddish in color and the other team is whitish in color with blue outlines. I am talking about the Washington Redskins against the Dallas Cowboys and the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees.
Then there are the teams which find their players almost always behind bars. The 2006-2007 Cincinnati Bengals and the early 2000 Portland Trail Blazers were the bad boys of the NFL and the NBA.
The player in the clutch comes up huge nearly every game - Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees, Adam Vinatieri of the New England Patriots and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.
There is also the all-star duo in the MLB, the NBA and in the NFL - the Batman and Robin of sports. In the MLB, there is the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (Robin) and Derek Jeter (Batman). In the NBA there was Shaquille O'Neal (Batman) and Kobe Bryant (Robin) and is Shaq and Dwayne Wade (Robin). In the NFL there is Marvin Harrison (Robin) and Peyton Manning (Batman).
If you do not believe me, watch the NBA, MLB and NFL games on your tube. You will see the comparisons between these teams and players.
Pictures: Steve Nash (www.i-sportsbook.com), Tom Brady (www.baltimoresun.com), Three Spurs (www.sportsresourcezone.net), Red Sox vs. Yankees (point23.blogspot.com), Redskins vs. Cowboys (www.washingtonpost.com)
Over the years, there has been a variety of nicknames conjured in the sports world - from "He Hate Me" (WR Rod Smart) to "The Refrigerator" (Lineman William Perry) - nicknames are unique to every person.
In the NFL, there was the great Water Payton, known only to fans as "Sweetness". Then there was "Prime Time" cornerback Deion Sanders, for performing his best at night, "The Bus" Jerome Bettis, for driving over other players, and "The Freak" Jevon Kearse, for his rare athleticism and his style of play.
Also, there are broad nicknames that not only surround players, but entire franchises. For twenty years, from 1980 to 2000, there was the New Orleans Saints, who were known as the "'Aints" until they won their first playoff game in 2000 against the St. Louis Rams. The Dallas Cowboys proudly proclaim themselves as "America's Team", while the Oakland Raiders' Stadium is the "Black Hole." Similarly, parts of the Cleveland Browns stadium is called "The dawg pound". The Green Bay Packers fans are "Cheeseheads", since Wisconsin is home to the largest producer of cheese. Their stadium is infamously known as the "Frozen tundra" since the stadium was home to the coldest NFL game on record in 1967.
Entire teams, or even parts of a team deserve great nicknames. There was the "Fun Bunch" - a group of Redskins WR's and TE's during the early 1980's. Also during that same time, the offensive line coach for the Redskins, Joe Bugel, came up with a nickname for the team's offensive line - "The Hogs". The St. Louis Rams were known as the "Greatest Show on Turf" during their glory years to their historic Super Bowl run in 2000. The 1970's Minnesota Vikings' defensive line was known as the "Purple people eaters" since they would gobble up the opposing team's QB. Similarly, the Steelers' defensive line is infamously known as the "Steel Curtain".
In the MLB, there was the "Sultan of Swat" - the great Babe Ruth, "The Big Unit" Randy Johnson, "Hammerin'" Hank Aaron, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, "The Wizard of Oz" Ozzie Smith, "The Rocket" Roger Clemens, "A-Rod" Alex Rodriguez, "Mr. October" Reggie Jackson, and "The Big Hurt" Frank Thomas.
In the NBA, there are tons of NBA nicknames for every superstar.
There was "Air Jordan" which became "MJ" and "Air Canada" which became "Air Carter" or "VC" for Vince Carter.
Other nicknames include the great "Magic" Johnson, who earned his nickname from the magic he does on the basketball court. "The Iceman" George Gervin got his nickname for his cool composure on the basketball court. "The Admiral" David Robinson, received his from being in the military after graduating from high school. "The Doctor" Julius Erving would prescribe new types of dunks during each game. Gary Payton was known as "the glove" for his ball-swiping steals that seemed almost regular. "Round Mound of Rebound" Charles Barkley got his from his rebounding skills night in and night out. Then there was "Stevie Franchise" for Steve Francis, who technically is not a franchise player for any team, whether it is Orlando, Houston or even New York. "The Answer" Allen Iverson, who would constantly answer everyone's questions. Karl Malone was known as "The Mailman" for his deliveries during each game. There was the self-proclaimed "Agent Zero" for Gilbert Arenas "Human Highlight Reel" Dominique Wilkins, for every dunk he made deserved to be a highlight "T-Mac", short for Tracy McGrady, "'Melo", short for Carmelo Anthony's first name,"C-Webb", short for Chris Webber, "J-Rich" Jason Richardson "The King" LeBron James "KG" or "The Big Ticket" for Kevin Garnett, who always receives a huge crowd wherever he goes "Air Gordon" Ben Gordon, on the big shots he hits during games just like MJ "Big Ben" Ben Wallace, for his resemblance to the clock tower in London "Big Shot Bob" Robert Horry, on his clutch shots during the NBA playoffs "The Diesel" Shaquille O'Neal, for his size and bullish way he dunks a basketball, his teammate "The Flash" Dwayne Wade, for the comic book hero who was as fast as a speeding bullet, and "The Matrix" Shawn Marion, my favorite player overall, who received his nickname from another NBA legend, Kennny "the Jet" Smith, who is currently a TNT basketball analyst.
From "The Black Hole" to "The Rocket", nicknames can come from anywhere and can encompass anything, from an individual player on a baseball team to a stadium filled with rowdy football fans.
From T.O suspected of having an overdose on pills to the St. Louis Cardinals winning the MLB World Series, this has been a wacky year in sports.
In January, we saw the thrilling national championship in NCAA football between the University of Southern California Trojans against the Texas Longhorns. What a game! USC seemed to have the game under control, with Matt Leinart at the helm and LenDale White, not Reggie Bush, running wild. Then came the ultimate turning point in the game. After making a nice catch and run of 31 yards, Reggie Bush tried to lateral the ball to another USC player but ended up coughing up the ball and losing possession. From that point onward, the tide had turned and it was Vince Young's moment to shine. He scored three touchdowns in total, two in the final quarter and the Texas defense stopped the Trojans on a fourth and two from USC's 45 yard line with two minutes left to capture the victory and snap the Trojans' 34-game winning streak.
In February, came the NBA All-Star weekend, where Dirk Nowitski, a seven-foot power forward, won the three-point shooting contest and lil' Nate Robinson, at five feet nine inches, won the slam dunk contest. In the all-star game, King James took charge, leading the East to a come-from-behind victory, 122-120, over the West.
In March, the NCAA basketball tourney was underway, and my, was there a shocker! The number eleven seed in the Washington D.C. region, the George Mason Patriots of the Colonial Athletic Association, went all the way to the Final Four, upsetting #7 Witchita State Shockers first, then #6 Michigan State, then #3 North Carolina, with Freshman Tyler Hansborough leading the Tar Heels, and lastly, beating #1 UConn in overtime before losing to the eventual National Champions, the Florida Gators, led by the powerful center Jokakim Noah. (Who shares the same birthday as me!)
In April, the NFL draft was held. The Houston Texans chose defensive end Mario Williams as the first pick in the draft, a surprising move given that Reggie Bush is a more explosive player. The Denver Broncos moved up from the fifteenth pick in the draft to the twelfth pick to select Jay Cutler, a quarterback out of the University of Vanderbilt. The steal of the draft was a three-way tie: Chicago, with the 57th pick, choosing speedy kick returner and punt returner Devin Hester from the U, Jacksonville, with the 60th pick, choosing pinball Maurice Jones-Drew from UCLA, and New Orleans, choosing Marques Colston, from Hofstra, with the 225th pick in the Draft. All had excellent seasons with their respective teams.
In May, Barry Bonds passed Babe Ruth for second all-time in career home runs, hitting 715 on May 28. Also, the NBA playoffs were at its peak, with the Phoenix Suns coming back from a 3-1 game deficit against the L.A. Lakers to beat them and, in the second round, beating the L.A. Clippers. The best series, though, was between the best two teams in the Western Conference - the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. The Miami Heat advanced to the Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons, and the Mavericks faced the Suns in the Western Conference finals.
In June, the FIFA World Cup started, as well as the NBA Finals. In the World Cup in Germany, the following teams made it to the round of sixteen: Germany, Sweden, Argentina, Mexico, Italy, Australia, Ukraine, Switzerland, England, Ecuador, Portugal, Netherlands, Brazil, Ghana, Spain and France. By the semifinals, the teams left were Germany and Italy and Portugal and France. The Germany-Italy game was a game of the ages. Italy ended up winning the entire tourney, defeating headbutting Zinedine Zidane and the French team, in penalty kicks, after the score was tied 1-1 after regulation and overtime.
In July, the Tour de France started, but there was no final victor. The winner, Floyd Landis, tested positive for an illegal substance and had his prize taken away. Also, the MLB All-Star game was played, with the American League coming back from 2-1 to win 3-2, thanks to Texas Rangers' shortstop Michael Young, who won it on a game-winning double in the bottom of the ninth inning.
In August, the NFL preseason and the NCAA football season were underway.
In September, the NFL season started, while the MLB season came to an end. The Chicago Bears held the Green Bay Packers scoreless, 26 - 0, The Baltimore Ravens held the Tampa Bay Bucs scoreless, 27 - 0, sacking the Bucs' QB three times and picking him off three times, The Seattle Seahawks won 9-6, thanks to a last-second Josh Brown field goal, and Peyton Manning defeated his brother, 26-21 in the first week of the NFL regular season.
Sang to the tune of "12 Days of Christmas," this is how the NFL regular season went:
"On the first week of the season, the NFL gave to me: Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the second week of the season, the NFL gave to me: T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the third week of the season the NFL gave to me: Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the fourth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the fifth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the sixth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the seventh week of the season, the NFL gave to me: A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the eighth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the ninth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the tenth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: Devin Hester's 108-yard TD run, A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the eleventh week of the season, the NFL gave to me: two 80-yard Lee Evans TD's, Devin Hester's 108-yard TD run, A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the twelfth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: Jason Campbell's first win, two 80-yard Lee Evans TD's, Devin Hester's 108-yard TD run, A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the thirteenth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: Four Reggie Bush TD's, Jason Campbell's first win, two 80-yard Lee Evans TD's, Devin Hester's 108-yard TD run, A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the fourteenth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: No Colts' run defense, Four Reggie Bush TD's, Jason Campbell's first win, two 80-yard Lee Evans TD's, Devin Hester's 108-yard TD run, A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the fifteenth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: LT breaking three NFL records, No Colts' run defense, Four Reggie Bush TD's, Jason Campbell's first win, two 80-yard Lee Evans TD's, Devin Hester's 108-yard TD run, A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the sixteenth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: A Bengals' botched extra-point attempt, LT breaking three NFL records, No Colts' run defense, Four Reggie Bush TD's, Jason Campbell's first win, two 80-yard Lee Evans TD's, Devin Hester's 108-yard TD run, A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
"On the seventeenth week of the season, the NFL gave to me: A Detroit Lions victory, A Bengals' botched extra-point attempt, LT breaking three NFL records, No Colts' run defense, Four Reggie Bush TD's, Jason Campbell's first win, two 80-yard Lee Evans TD's, Devin Hester's 108-yard TD run, A Nick Novak GW FG against the 'Boys, LT running wild, A Matt Bryant GW 62-yard FG, two Redskins tickets, Reggie Bush's first TD, Santana Moss catching a 68 yard bomb in OT, Chris Simms losing his spleen, T.O. breaking his hand, and Peyton defeating Eli on National T.V."
