What a game!
ST. LOUIS >> David Freese homered to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals forced the World Series to a Game 7 by rallying from two-run deficits against the Texas Rangers in the 9th and 10th on Thursday night.
Freese hit a two-run triple just over a leaping Nelson Cruz to tie the score 7-7 in the ninth inning against Neftali Feliz. Then, after Josh Hamilton put Texas ahead with a two-run homer in the 10th off Jason Motte, Ryan Theriot hit an RBI groundout in the bottom half and Lance Berkman tied it 9-9 with a single.
Freese's shot to center came off Mark Lowe.
Game 7 is Friday night.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Cody Paul (and other fancy running backs)
The story of Cody Paul, YouTube sensation, has been chronicled thoroughly since the diminutive football player was dubbed "The White Reggie Bush" in 2007, not long after Bush had finished dropping jaws at USC.
A highlight video of Paul -- barely five feet tall -- breaking opponents' ankles as a 12-year-old went viral at the time and now has more than 8 million hits on YouTube.
A Southern California kid, Paul was predicted by some to attain stardom just like Bush, who won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints and currently is a running back for the Miami Dolphins.
It was a little premature for a kid in junior high school, and little initially was heard from Paul at the next level, Los Alamitos High School in Los Angeles.
But now a 5-foot-7, 170-pound feature back, Paul is back to turning heads as a high school senior.
*** [9/1/12]
Watching the end of the Hawaii-USC football, a backup USC RB, caught my eye. He's no. 30, D.J. Morgan. His moves reminded me of O.J. Simpson, though he's not as big. Can't believe the guy is like third string. And this guy rated OJ only the third best RB from USC.
Well for one thing, they have a returning 1000 yard runner in Curtis McNeil. And another 1000 yard runner in Silas Redd, who transferred from Penn State. And in the wings is a commitment from Ty Isaac who is the no.2 player at his position according to rivals.com. He ran for 2114 yards with 45 touchdowns last season.
*** [8/24/13]
How about this Tavon Austin? The guy was ridiculous in high school.
For some reason, he's kind of reminiscent of this Aquille Carr mix tape. He could be the next Nate Robinson. Bonus: And 1 Mix Tape Vol 1 (featuring Rafer Alston)
Still looking for the best run ever (in my memory) which was made by O.J. Simpson. It's not here, but it's kind of fun to see (and hear Howard Cosell). Here it is! It's the one where he slips and falls, gets up, reverses field, then goes for the score. It's here too, at least the part where he fell down. It's part of the show Best Ever Runners by NFL Films. Don't see the entire show online. I think I might have it on VHS or Beta somewhere. Gil Brandt rates OJ as no. 5 all-time. I'd rate him no. 2.
And the second best run ever (in my memory) by Tommy Frazier the Nebraska quarterback. Don't know if this is it? It thought it was one where he faked out a bunch of guys rather than breaking tackles. I would have though it would be here. The second to the last run looks good. Now I dunno. Maybe it was somebody else.
And to be truthful, this run by Bo Jackson has to be the greatest run in football history.
A highlight video of Paul -- barely five feet tall -- breaking opponents' ankles as a 12-year-old went viral at the time and now has more than 8 million hits on YouTube.
A Southern California kid, Paul was predicted by some to attain stardom just like Bush, who won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints and currently is a running back for the Miami Dolphins.
It was a little premature for a kid in junior high school, and little initially was heard from Paul at the next level, Los Alamitos High School in Los Angeles.
But now a 5-foot-7, 170-pound feature back, Paul is back to turning heads as a high school senior.
*** [9/1/12]
Watching the end of the Hawaii-USC football, a backup USC RB, caught my eye. He's no. 30, D.J. Morgan. His moves reminded me of O.J. Simpson, though he's not as big. Can't believe the guy is like third string. And this guy rated OJ only the third best RB from USC.
Well for one thing, they have a returning 1000 yard runner in Curtis McNeil. And another 1000 yard runner in Silas Redd, who transferred from Penn State. And in the wings is a commitment from Ty Isaac who is the no.2 player at his position according to rivals.com. He ran for 2114 yards with 45 touchdowns last season.
*** [8/24/13]
How about this Tavon Austin? The guy was ridiculous in high school.
For some reason, he's kind of reminiscent of this Aquille Carr mix tape. He could be the next Nate Robinson. Bonus: And 1 Mix Tape Vol 1 (featuring Rafer Alston)
Still looking for the best run ever (in my memory) which was made by O.J. Simpson. It's not here, but it's kind of fun to see (and hear Howard Cosell). Here it is! It's the one where he slips and falls, gets up, reverses field, then goes for the score. It's here too, at least the part where he fell down. It's part of the show Best Ever Runners by NFL Films. Don't see the entire show online. I think I might have it on VHS or Beta somewhere. Gil Brandt rates OJ as no. 5 all-time. I'd rate him no. 2.
And the second best run ever (in my memory) by Tommy Frazier the Nebraska quarterback. Don't know if this is it? It thought it was one where he faked out a bunch of guys rather than breaking tackles. I would have though it would be here. The second to the last run looks good. Now I dunno. Maybe it was somebody else.
And to be truthful, this run by Bo Jackson has to be the greatest run in football history.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
50 Greatest UCLA Basketball Players
It's obvious that it's gotta be Lew Alcindor no. 1 and Bill Walton no. 2.
But then then who's no. 3?
Well of the top of my head, some candidates for the top ten are Marques Johnson, Richard Washington, David Meyers, Keith Wilkes, Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, Lucious Allen, Gail Goodrich, Keith Erickson, Walt Hazzard, Baron Davis.
What about Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook? Well, they only played like 1 or 2 years.
Ah, going through the list, I forgot about Darren Collison (29), David Greenwood (23), Kiki Vandeweghe (19), Pooh Richardson (12), Henry Bibby (11).
And here's the top ten.
10. Don MacLean
9. Ed O'Bannon
8. Sidney Wicks
7. Keith Wilkes
6. Reggie Miller
5. Walt Hazzard
4. Marques Johnson
3. Gail Goodrich
2. Bill Walton
1. Lew Alcindor
And I don't see David Meyers or Keith Erickson in the top 50. David Meyers was the second pick in 1975 NBA Draft (behind David Thompson and ahead of Marvin Webster, Alvan Adams, Darryl Dawkins, Lionel Hollins). Keith Erickson played in the 1964 Olympics as a volleyball player, played 12 years in the NBA, then became a color man for with Chick Hearn (after Lynn Shackelford and Pat Riley; and before Stu Lantz).
But then then who's no. 3?
Well of the top of my head, some candidates for the top ten are Marques Johnson, Richard Washington, David Meyers, Keith Wilkes, Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, Lucious Allen, Gail Goodrich, Keith Erickson, Walt Hazzard, Baron Davis.
What about Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook? Well, they only played like 1 or 2 years.
Ah, going through the list, I forgot about Darren Collison (29), David Greenwood (23), Kiki Vandeweghe (19), Pooh Richardson (12), Henry Bibby (11).
And here's the top ten.
10. Don MacLean
9. Ed O'Bannon
8. Sidney Wicks
7. Keith Wilkes
6. Reggie Miller
5. Walt Hazzard
4. Marques Johnson
3. Gail Goodrich
2. Bill Walton
1. Lew Alcindor
And I don't see David Meyers or Keith Erickson in the top 50. David Meyers was the second pick in 1975 NBA Draft (behind David Thompson and ahead of Marvin Webster, Alvan Adams, Darryl Dawkins, Lionel Hollins). Keith Erickson played in the 1964 Olympics as a volleyball player, played 12 years in the NBA, then became a color man for with Chick Hearn (after Lynn Shackelford and Pat Riley; and before Stu Lantz).
Friday, October 14, 2011
Top 50 NBA Players
Apparently to while away the time since there's no games to cover, SLAM is running down the top 50 players in the leagues.
Evidently I have a pretty good fantasy team because here's how my roster ranks.
Jameer Nelson
Kyle Lowry
Paul Millsap
28 - Manu Ginobili
39 - Joakim Noah
37 - Kevin Garnett
27 - Tyreke Evans
David Lee
15 - Rajon Rondo
33 - Al Jefferson
Blake Griffin
Kevin Durant
Right now, they're up to no. 15. I don't know if David Lee is in the top 14. But it's pretty likely Durant is top 5 and Griffin is top 10.
Let me guess the top 14 (in parentheses, I'll add the actual rating when it appears -- OK so I guess Griffin isn't top 10)
14 - Russell Westbrook (12)
13 - Deron Williams (10)
12 - Blake Griffin (14)
11 - Pau Gasol (13)
10 - Carmelo Anthony (9)
9 - Amare Stoudemire (11)
8 - Chris Paul (8)
7 - Derrick Rose (4)
6 - Dwyane Wade (5)
5 - Dirk Nowitzki (7)
4 - Kevin Durant (2)
3 - Kobe Bryant (3)
2 - Dwight Howard (6)
1 - Lebron James (1)
Gallery
Well, looks like David Lee didn't make the top 50.
***
Wait I see they have apparently pre-written the top 50 already and I can see the top 9 by clicking Previous on the list and going to page 3.
Funny that they're dated in the future, e.g. LeBron dated 10/23/11
9 - Dirk Nowitzki
8 - Deron Williams
7 - Chris Paul
6 - Carmelo Anthony
5 - Dwight Howard
4 - Dwyane Wade
3 - Kevin Durant
2 - Kobe Bryant
1 - LeBron James
Wait, actually that's last year's top 10. David Lee was no. 34 last year.
Go back above for the 2011 list.
***
[11/29/11] And here's ESPN's rankings (along with SLAM's and Yahoo's fantasy O-ranks):
1. LeBron James (1,2)
2. Dwight Howard (6,7)
3. Dwyane Wade (5,6)
4. Chris Paul (8,3)
5. Dirk Nowitzki (7,9)
6. Kevin Durant (2,1)
7. Kobe Bryant (3,11)
8. Derrick Rose (4,5)
9. Deron Williams (10,14)
10. Blake Griffin (14,19)
11. Paul Gasol (13,8)
12. Carmelo Anthony (9,18)
13. Amare Stoudemire (11,15)
14. Steve Nash (20,33)
15. Russell Westbrook (12,12)
16. Kevin Love (16,4)
17. Rajon Rondo (15,25)
18. Manu Ginobili (28,34)
19. Tim Duncan (30,57)
20. Zach Randolph (19,30)
21. Paul Pierce (21,28)
22. Kevin Garnett (37,40)
23. Lamarcus Aldridge (18,20)
24. Chris Bosh (17,42)
25. Al Horford (32,16)
27. Rudy Gay (26,22)
32. Joe Johnson (22,50)
36. Danny Granger (24,23)
38. Stephen Curry (31,10)
40. John Wall (25,38)
41. Monta Ellis (23,17)
43. Josh Smith (29,21)
48. Gerald Wallace (29,24)
52. Al Jefferson (33,13)
Evidently I have a pretty good fantasy team because here's how my roster ranks.
Jameer Nelson
Kyle Lowry
Paul Millsap
28 - Manu Ginobili
39 - Joakim Noah
37 - Kevin Garnett
27 - Tyreke Evans
David Lee
15 - Rajon Rondo
33 - Al Jefferson
Blake Griffin
Kevin Durant
Right now, they're up to no. 15. I don't know if David Lee is in the top 14. But it's pretty likely Durant is top 5 and Griffin is top 10.
Let me guess the top 14 (in parentheses, I'll add the actual rating when it appears -- OK so I guess Griffin isn't top 10)
14 - Russell Westbrook (12)
13 - Deron Williams (10)
12 - Blake Griffin (14)
11 - Pau Gasol (13)
10 - Carmelo Anthony (9)
9 - Amare Stoudemire (11)
8 - Chris Paul (8)
7 - Derrick Rose (4)
6 - Dwyane Wade (5)
5 - Dirk Nowitzki (7)
4 - Kevin Durant (2)
3 - Kobe Bryant (3)
2 - Dwight Howard (6)
1 - Lebron James (1)
Gallery
Well, looks like David Lee didn't make the top 50.
***
Wait I see they have apparently pre-written the top 50 already and I can see the top 9 by clicking Previous on the list and going to page 3.
Funny that they're dated in the future, e.g. LeBron dated 10/23/11
9 - Dirk Nowitzki
8 - Deron Williams
7 - Chris Paul
6 - Carmelo Anthony
5 - Dwight Howard
4 - Dwyane Wade
3 - Kevin Durant
2 - Kobe Bryant
1 - LeBron James
Wait, actually that's last year's top 10. David Lee was no. 34 last year.
Go back above for the 2011 list.
***
[11/29/11] And here's ESPN's rankings (along with SLAM's and Yahoo's fantasy O-ranks):
1. LeBron James (1,2)
2. Dwight Howard (6,7)
3. Dwyane Wade (5,6)
4. Chris Paul (8,3)
5. Dirk Nowitzki (7,9)
6. Kevin Durant (2,1)
7. Kobe Bryant (3,11)
8. Derrick Rose (4,5)
9. Deron Williams (10,14)
10. Blake Griffin (14,19)
11. Paul Gasol (13,8)
12. Carmelo Anthony (9,18)
13. Amare Stoudemire (11,15)
14. Steve Nash (20,33)
15. Russell Westbrook (12,12)
16. Kevin Love (16,4)
17. Rajon Rondo (15,25)
18. Manu Ginobili (28,34)
19. Tim Duncan (30,57)
20. Zach Randolph (19,30)
21. Paul Pierce (21,28)
22. Kevin Garnett (37,40)
23. Lamarcus Aldridge (18,20)
24. Chris Bosh (17,42)
25. Al Horford (32,16)
27. Rudy Gay (26,22)
32. Joe Johnson (22,50)
36. Danny Granger (24,23)
38. Stephen Curry (31,10)
40. John Wall (25,38)
41. Monta Ellis (23,17)
43. Josh Smith (29,21)
48. Gerald Wallace (29,24)
52. Al Jefferson (33,13)
Mountain West and Conference USA to merge
Mountain West Conference and Conference USA officials said today they have agreed to merge their football programs, which could put the University of Hawaii Warriors in a 22-team league stretching to the East Coast as early as 2012.
The Warriors, who are playing in their 33rd and final Western Athletic Conference season, are scheduled to join the MWC July 1, 2012. UH's other sports will be in the Big West.
But with the merger of the MWC and CUSA announced today, UH could find itself in a football-only league with teams including Orlando, Fla.-based Central Florida and Huntington, W.V.-based Marshall University.
Commissioners of the two conferences say they hope to begin play as one yet-to-be-named league possibly in 2012 but definitely by 2013. They said play would eventually be in regional-based divisions with a playoff structure.
***
The University of Hawaii football team could find itself the most far-flung member of a 22-school, six-time zone, 4,735-mile-wide conference as early as the 2012 season under a merger of the Mountain West and Conference USA announced Friday.
The Warriors, who are in their 33rd and final Western Athletic Conference season, are scheduled to join the MWC July 1, 2012, as a football-only member. Most of UH's other teams will join the California-based Big West Conference.
But the MWC and C-USA signed a memorandum of understanding Friday that will result in one yet-to-be-named football conference for competitive and marketing purposes by 2013, but possibly in time for 2012, their commissioners announced.
C-USA currently has 12 teams spread from Mountain to Eastern time zones, including Orlando, Fla.-based Central Florida and Huntington, W.Va.-based Marshall University, and the MWC will have 10 members spread from Hawaii to the Rockies in 2012.
"It is a positive (for UH) in the sense of having a broad base of programs helps provide some stability, increased annual television revenue and postseason opportunities," UH athletic director Jim Donovan said. "So, I think it is very good development."
Donovan said that, at least initially, games against current C-USA members would be considered nonconference contests.
"The way it was explained to us, primarily the current Mountain West schools will play each other eight games and determine a champion and the current Conference USA schools will play each other and determine a champion and those two champions will come together and play a championship game, " Donovan said. "If we play any games against any teams that are currently in Conference USA they will be nonconference games."
[So to me it's not really a merged conference, but pretty much just an agreement to have a championship game between the two conferences.]
The Warriors, who are playing in their 33rd and final Western Athletic Conference season, are scheduled to join the MWC July 1, 2012. UH's other sports will be in the Big West.
But with the merger of the MWC and CUSA announced today, UH could find itself in a football-only league with teams including Orlando, Fla.-based Central Florida and Huntington, W.V.-based Marshall University.
Commissioners of the two conferences say they hope to begin play as one yet-to-be-named league possibly in 2012 but definitely by 2013. They said play would eventually be in regional-based divisions with a playoff structure.
***
The University of Hawaii football team could find itself the most far-flung member of a 22-school, six-time zone, 4,735-mile-wide conference as early as the 2012 season under a merger of the Mountain West and Conference USA announced Friday.
The Warriors, who are in their 33rd and final Western Athletic Conference season, are scheduled to join the MWC July 1, 2012, as a football-only member. Most of UH's other teams will join the California-based Big West Conference.
But the MWC and C-USA signed a memorandum of understanding Friday that will result in one yet-to-be-named football conference for competitive and marketing purposes by 2013, but possibly in time for 2012, their commissioners announced.
C-USA currently has 12 teams spread from Mountain to Eastern time zones, including Orlando, Fla.-based Central Florida and Huntington, W.Va.-based Marshall University, and the MWC will have 10 members spread from Hawaii to the Rockies in 2012.
"It is a positive (for UH) in the sense of having a broad base of programs helps provide some stability, increased annual television revenue and postseason opportunities," UH athletic director Jim Donovan said. "So, I think it is very good development."
Donovan said that, at least initially, games against current C-USA members would be considered nonconference contests.
"The way it was explained to us, primarily the current Mountain West schools will play each other eight games and determine a champion and the current Conference USA schools will play each other and determine a champion and those two champions will come together and play a championship game, " Donovan said. "If we play any games against any teams that are currently in Conference USA they will be nonconference games."
[So to me it's not really a merged conference, but pretty much just an agreement to have a championship game between the two conferences.]
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Al Davis
OAKLAND, Calif. >> Al Davis, the Hall of Fame owner of the Oakland Raiders known for his rebellious spirit, has died.
The team said the 82-year-old died at his home in Oakland on Saturday morning.
It was Davis' willingness to buck the establishment that helped turn the NFL into THE establishment in sports — the most successful sports league in American history.
Davis was charming, cantankerous and compassionate — a man who when his wife suffered a serious heart attack in the 1970s moved into her hospital room. But he was best known as a rebel, a man who established a team whose silver-and-black colors and pirate logo symbolized his attitude toward authority, both on the field and off.
Davis was one of the most important figures in NFL history. That was most evident during the 1980s when he fought in court — and won — for the right to move his team from Oakland to Los Angeles. Even after he moved them back to the Bay Area in 1995, he went to court, suing for $1.2 billion to establish that he still owned the rights to the L.A. market.
Until the decline of the Raiders into a perennial loser in the first decade of the 21st century he was a winner, the man who as a coach, then owner-general manager-de facto coach, established what he called "the team of the decades" based on another slogan: "commitment to excellence." And the Raiders were excellent, winning three Super Bowls during the 1970s and 1980s and contending almost every other season — an organization filled with castoffs and troublemakers who turned into trouble for opponents.
Davis, elected in 1992 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, also was a trailblazer. He hired the first black head coach of the modern era — Art Shell in 1988. He hired the first Latino coach, Tom Flores; and the first woman CEO, Amy Trask. And he was infallibly loyal to his players and officials: to be a Raider was to be a Raider for life.
But it was his rebellious spirit, that willingness to buck the establishment, that helped turn the NFL into THE establishment in sports — the most successful sports league in American history. He was the last commissioner of the American Football league and led it on personnel forays that helped force a merger that turned the expanded NFL into the colossus it remains.
The team said the 82-year-old died at his home in Oakland on Saturday morning.
It was Davis' willingness to buck the establishment that helped turn the NFL into THE establishment in sports — the most successful sports league in American history.
Davis was charming, cantankerous and compassionate — a man who when his wife suffered a serious heart attack in the 1970s moved into her hospital room. But he was best known as a rebel, a man who established a team whose silver-and-black colors and pirate logo symbolized his attitude toward authority, both on the field and off.
Davis was one of the most important figures in NFL history. That was most evident during the 1980s when he fought in court — and won — for the right to move his team from Oakland to Los Angeles. Even after he moved them back to the Bay Area in 1995, he went to court, suing for $1.2 billion to establish that he still owned the rights to the L.A. market.
Until the decline of the Raiders into a perennial loser in the first decade of the 21st century he was a winner, the man who as a coach, then owner-general manager-de facto coach, established what he called "the team of the decades" based on another slogan: "commitment to excellence." And the Raiders were excellent, winning three Super Bowls during the 1970s and 1980s and contending almost every other season — an organization filled with castoffs and troublemakers who turned into trouble for opponents.
Davis, elected in 1992 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, also was a trailblazer. He hired the first black head coach of the modern era — Art Shell in 1988. He hired the first Latino coach, Tom Flores; and the first woman CEO, Amy Trask. And he was infallibly loyal to his players and officials: to be a Raider was to be a Raider for life.
But it was his rebellious spirit, that willingness to buck the establishment, that helped turn the NFL into THE establishment in sports — the most successful sports league in American history. He was the last commissioner of the American Football league and led it on personnel forays that helped force a merger that turned the expanded NFL into the colossus it remains.
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