Serving Arenas

                       

from MercuryNews.com

A lawyer in a paternity case threatened to serve Gilbert Arenas with a subpoena in a nationally televised game March 28 in Sacramento, the Mercury News is reporting.

Arenas watched the game from his hotel room under an alias -- the team said he had the flu -- then flew to Houston while his teammates spent the night.

The ordeal went on so long it actually became a running gag with some of the Wizards. . . . In Oakland, Arenas narrowly escaped being served when teammate Donnell Taylor was mistaken for him at a practice, giving Arenas enough time to flee.

``All I heard was: `We're going to get him by any means necessary. If he's shooting a free throw, we'll run on that floor and embarrass him, that's what we're going to do.' It got that crazy and nasty,'' Arenas said.

Arenas and the woman, a former Kings employee, eventually came to an agreement, and the woman and their daughter now live a few miles apart in Virginia.

RIP Trevor Berbick

                

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead in a church courtyard Saturday with chop wounds to his head in a suspected homicide.

Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Constable Sheldon Francis said.

Berbick's body was discovered about 6:30 a.m. in his hometown parish of Portland, constable Beverly Howell said. The former fighter, believed to be 52, was pronounced dead by a doctor in the church courtyard.

Police did not have a motive and there was no word yet on what kind of weapon was used or how many people were involved in Berbick's death.

Berbick, beset by legal problems after his retirement from the ring, lost his heavyweight title to Mike Tyson and was the last boxer to fight Muhammad Ali.

After beating Ali in 1981 in a unanimous decision in the Bahamas, Berbick went on to win the WBC heavyweight title four years later in a decision over Pinklon Thomas. His reign was short, however, as a 20-year-old Tyson knocked Berbick out in the second round of their bout on Nov. 22, 1986, to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

In his loss to Tyson in Las Vegas, Berbick was knocked down twice in the second round. After trying to get up from the second knockdown he fell another two times.

Berbick fought from 1976 to 2000, finishing with a 50-11-1 record, including 33 knockouts. He also fought for Jamaica at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. He was a strong puncher who moved well and had the potential to be a lasting force in the heavyweight division before Tyson's emergence.

In spanning the Ali and Tyson eras, Berbick beat such fighters as Iran Barkley, Greg Page and John Tate. Among his losses were those to Buster Douglas, Renaldo Snipes and Larry Holmes.

Lawrence Clay-Bey, the super heavyweight on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, remembered Berbick for his odd style in and out of the ring.

"He was a little strange, but no matter how weird someone might be, you don't wish anyone to die the way he did," Clay-Bey said at a fight Saturday night in Uncasville, Conn. "He had an awkward style in the ring, but it was very effective. He was like John Ruiz. He had an awkward style, but he made it work."

Berbick's career soured after his loss to Tyson, and he began to run into legal trouble.

"We have our challenges in life, but Trevor seemed to handle his challenges very badly," said C. Lloyd Allen, former president of the Jamaica Boxing Board and a close friend. "Once he lost to Tyson he just went down a slippery slope."

In 1991, Berbick was convicted of misdemeanor assault for attacking his former business manager, who testified the boxer put a gun to her head and accused her of stealing money from him.

The following year, he was convicted in Florida of raping a family baby sitter and was sentenced to four years in prison. He also was convicted in 1992 of second-degree grand theft for forging his ex-wife's signature to get a mortgage on a home.

After serving 15 months in prison, Berbick was deported from the United States. He went to Canada, where he lived for a time following the 1976 Olympics. He eventually moved back to the United States but was deported a second time.

He had been living in Norwich district, a remote, farming community, in Portland parish, since 2002. Recently, he had been coaching boxing at clinics in Trinidad.

He also hoped to open a gym in Portland and to become a boxing promoter -- dreams that Allen said he felt were unrealistic because the sport was no longer popular on the island.

"He was a decent human being despite the hiccups in his life. He was a magnaminous person, always concerned about young boxers," said Allen, who first met Berbick in 1974, before he got into boxing, and last saw him two months ago in Kingston.

Though Berbick was believed to be 52, according to boxing records, other reports said he was as old as 56 or as young as 49.

"Legally, I'm a spirit," he once said. "I have no age."

                     

R.I.P. Red

                        

Red Auerbach has passed away at the age of 89.

As a Laker fan, I have nothing but the utmost respect for Red, who led those "evil" Celtics into one of sports' biggest dynasties.  His Celtics teams were indeed stacked....but he's the one who stacked them.  Not only did he see the talent...he got the most out of it.  He dealt for Bill Russell and made a black player the star of Boston....that's Boston....and even turned him into the NBA's first black coach.  He drafted Larry Bird a year before he'd get to play a game for him. 

He is one of the cornerstones of the NBA.  Without him, who knows where the NBA would be??  One of the best innovators and teachers of the sport, Auerbach knew the game as if he invented it.  His teams ran, ran, ran, ran back when everyone else was playing "Hoosiers Ball" and working for a good shot.  He completely managed his team...as the coach, teacher and front office.  If he wanted you....he'd get you. 

He also brought the smug to the NBA....lighting up his "victory cigar" when the game was in hand. 

He, along with Phil Jackson, have won 9 NBA titles as a head coach....most all time.  When he retired, he led the NBA in coaching victories.  Since then, six guys have passed him [and a 7th, Phil Jackson, could do so next year].  But none have the impact on the game that Red had.  If Jerry West is "the logo"....then Red is "the king".  I mean, how can the NBA go on without Red around it?? 

He made stable a league and a franchise that was unstable during the early days of the NBA.  Teams were folding and moving, but Red's Celtics [along with New York's Knicks and George Mikan's Lakers] were the gems of the league.  I've always felt that parity is great in sports....but what leagues really need is a constant champion presence to either love or hate.  You love or hate the Celtics just as you love or hate the Yankees or Cowboys. 

Now, I am too young to have been around when Red was actually coaching the Celtics.  But in my early years, I remember Red's little segments showing different aspects to playing basketball [I was always amazed at how much he knew about spacing] and his fingerprints all over the league...including, ironically, my Showtime Lakers. 

A Laker buddy of mine, LBerg, said it best:

"He was a pivotal figure in the evolution of the pro game and his innovations and greatness are unquestionable.  He was the architect and guiding hand of championship Celtics teams in four consecutive decades.  He had the foresight to work creatively to procure the Celtics' the playing rights to Bill Russell and Larry Bird, two of the greatest players in the history of the sport, as well as John Havlicek and Dave Cowens, the cornerstones of the two Celtic championship teams (and a couple of others that barely missed, notably the 68 win team of 1973 that was derailed in the ECF when Havlicek's right shoulder was separated) of the 1970s.  Havlicek of course had also been instrumental on some of the Celts' title teams of the 60s as well.  Love him or hate him (and his arrogance usually had me leaning toward the latter), there is no denying the greatness of Arnold "Red" Auerbach.  The sport was richer for his presence and is now poorer for his loss."

 

My condolansces to the Celtics family and fans. 

St Louis Wins World Series

Let me start by saying this:  Screw you Carl Linder!!!!  One of Linder's final moves as owner of my Cincinnati Reds was an unpopular one that the new leadership wishes never happened.  He dealt away Sean Casey, who had a spectacular World Series for the Tigers, for Dave Williams.  The Reds waived Williams about two months into the season.  Nice.  Now on to the series.

The Cards are your 2006 World Series Champions?  How did they do it??

-they played as a team
-the guys had a will to win
-they did the little things
-no one believed in them

You, know.....all of the cliches that every championship team gives you right after they win. 

But, actually, it was true for the Cards.  St. Louis became the worst team [record wise] to win the Series.  They had the 13th best record in the majors this year.  In fact, adding their 11 postseason wins onto their 83 regular season wins....they'd still be just 5th in wins among everyone else's regular season totals.

The main reason the Cards beat the Tigers was because the Tigers played really, really, really bad.  Orca bad.  Five games, five pitchers committed five errors.  They threw to the wrong bases, they played too shallow, they played too deep, they had baserunning errors, they pinch ran for the wrong guys, too many walks given up, etc.  And it wasn't just a fluke thing either [well, falling down in center field was].  Last night, Justin Verlander fielded a ball hit to him and fired it to third for a force.....and overthrew the base.  Joel Zumaya did the same freaking then two games earlier.  Does anyone learn anymore???  Brandon Inge was walking to third on a ball hit back to the pitcher.  Why???

To make it even, the Cards kept Chris Duncan and his laughable defense in right field.  Even Adam Dunn was laughing. 

It was so embarrassing that at one point I really thought to myself, "why doesn't St Louis just bunt the ball to the pitcher constantly"??  I know in the AL, they are used to guys swinging for the fences and bunts aren't as big a deal....but, c'mon! 

It's the first time that an NL Central won the World Series [the last current NL Central team won the series was the Reds in 1990] and marks the SEVENTH different World Series champions in seven years. 

Congrats!

Can The NL Actually Win The World Series???

Tonight, the final World Series game in St Louis will be played.  But will this also be the season's final game??  Maybe.

The Cardinals are up 3-games-to-1 heading into tonight and has three shots at getting the Series clinching win.  That would mean.....the National League could house the World Series Champion.

Weird, eh?

Especially since the NL has been smacked around like a rag doll this year.  They haven't won an All Star game in, what, a decade?  They were ripped a new one in interleague play this season.  All the stars and excitement was in the American League....which had a few good teams miss out of the playoffs.  In fact, only the New York Mets could've made the playoffs if they were in the American League.

Yep.  The Cardinals could win the World Series despite having the 13th best record in the major leagues. 

If they pull this off, the Cards would have the worst record of any team to win a World Series.  Ever.  The only World Series participant with a lower win total was the 1973 Mets.  They'd be the first National League team that had been around longer than a decade to win the World Series since the Braves in 1995 [the expansionites Marlins and Diamondbacks are the only ones to do so since then]. 

They'd also be the first NL Central team to win the title....ever.  Technically.  The last member of the current NL Central to win the World Series was the 1990 Cincinnati Reds...but that was when they were in the NL West and before the current realignment. 

The key word here is IF.  IF.  IF.  As Cardinals fans know, a 3-1 lead isn't a cause to plan a parade just yet.  They were up 3-1 over the Royals in 1985 and over the Tigers in 1968.  They lost both series.  The Cards also held a 3-2 series lead oer the Twins in 1987 and ended up losing.  Plus, the National League team felt they had the 1991 [epic Braves/Twins series], 1996 [Braves 2-0 and leading late in Game 3] and 2002 [Giants late lead in a possible clinching Game 6] World Series....but ended up short. 

So, don't count chickens before they hatch....

Someone Else Thinks Michael Irvin Is An 'Idiot'

                  

As a Redskins fan...I am well conditioned to hate anything Cowboys, Eagles and Giants....and that includes Sir Tiki Barber.  But I must admit that Tiki got my support today as he ripped into three individuals for smacking him up about his retirement.

The three:

-New York Daily News' Gary Myers:  "he has created a season-long distraction" the Giants "don't need".

-ESPN's Tom Jackson:  the decision "has distracted the team from the task at hand."

-ESPN's Michael Irvin:  "To me, in my head, that's quitting.  That's not retiring."

On Tiki's radio show, "The Barber Shop", he lit into all three....even naming them.

Tiki:  "I will call them idiots, because they have neither spoken to me, nor any one of my teammates or any of my coaches.  Yet all they do is criticize me for being a distraction with this retirement thing.  And that includes Gary Myers.  That includes Tom Jackson on ESPN. That includes the ultimate character guy, facetiously speaking of course, Michael Irvin. Please get a clue on how to be a journalist.  Don't make blanket assumptions about it [retirement]. And obviously, as was evidenced [Monday] night, I am a huge distraction to the New York Giants."

Touche.

They Want Bobby Bowden To Dang Gum Retire

                         

Another legendary coach is hitting the wall....so another website has popped up wanting to fire him.

This time, it is all-time Division I wins leader Bobby Bowden.  Florida State is 2-3 in the ACC and boosters are a bit tired of it. 

Via the website:  "We think it is time for someone in the FSU Administration to tell the Emperor he has no clothes...it is time to let our Legendary Coach retire with some amount of class and dignity.  Let 2006 be the swan song year so FSU can look ahead to the future with a new, younger direction, with an active Head Coach who actually coaches in the game."

This interesting stat comes from the website: 
18 — Florida State defeats in the 14 seasons from 1987-2000
20 — Florida State defeats in the past five seasons  (this coincides with Jeff Bowden as Offensive Coordinator!)

Retire Coach Bowden

The Longest Yard: Bengals v Chargers

                                 

The Chargers and Bengals have been posturing all season for this matchup.  No, not for playoff positioning in the AFC....for the title of Biggest Thug Team.

The NBA has the Pacers and Blazers to figure out their title.  This is the NFL's version.  And let's break down the matchup.

DRUG SUSPENSION:  Odell Thurman v Shawn Merriman.  This is a great matchup.  Merriman is in the running for the NFL's defensive player of the year, so his suspension hurts pretty bad.  Thurman is nothing this season because he (a) was suspended for the first four games of the season for his "violation" and (b) during his probation period, he was cited for a DUI and subsequently suspended for the remainder of the season.  Merriman will just miss four games....Thurman misses 16.  Advantage:  Bengals.

COLLEGE DAYS BITING BACK:  AJ Nicholson v Markus Curry.  Curry was arrested for a domestic abuse charge from his Michigan days.  Curry was eventually released.  Nicholson was implicated in a robbery of a Florida State teamate.  Advantage:  Bengals

MULTIPLE INFRACTIONS:  Chris Henry v Steve Foley.  This is a heavyweight matchup.  Foley has been arrested twice this year...both for getting in a scuffle with a cop.  The last scuffle, in early September, ended with Foley being shot.  But Chris Henry wins this fight.  Dude has been arrested, like, six times this season.  Everything from buying alcohol for minors, DUI, speeding and gun charges.  He's also serving a suspension for all this behavior.  Advantage:  Bengals.

THE REALLY DUMB ARREST:  Matthais Askew v Terrence Kiel.  Keil was arrested for mailing coedine laced cough syrup to someone in Texas.  Duh. Askew was asked to move his illegally parked vehicle, refused, and then was tasered.  Nice.  Advantage:  Bengals. 

There ya go.  While San Diego is trying their best....it is Cincinnati that dominates the lack of control of their players.  Here is to the Bengals!!

Redskins At Least Waited Before Getting Blown Out

COLTS 36-REDSKINS 22 [Sportz this week 1-0; this season 59-29]:  I don't know what is more amazing: the Skins leading the Colts at halftime, 14-13, or how quickly it turned to 33-14.  To me, it is the former.  The Redskins couldn't stop the Colts as much as you'd think.  Indy moved the ball but couldn't capitalize...plus Washington got a Antwan Randle-El punt return for a TD.  And that was pretty much it.  In the 2nd half, Peyton Manning exposed the Redskins banged up secondary.

With the bye week coming, the Skins have a lot of questions.  The main one is whether or not there should be a QB change.  I may still be one of the few Skins fans that think NO.  Mark Brunell, while not spectacular, gives us the best chance to win.  He rarely makes mistakes and is doing the best he can.  Now if the season is totally lost...I can see bringing in Jason Campbell to get some snaps.  I really feel that the bye week will be used by Joe Gibbs to incorporate HIS gameplan into what Al Saunders wants to do.  Every Redskins fan knows that Gibbs loves running between the tackles and throwing the ball down the field.  Al Saunders offense isn't doing that.  It is stretch runs, screen passes and dinks and dunks.  That's fine and all, but it doesn't utilize the weapons we have. 

FALCONS 41-STEELERS 38 [Sportz 1-1, 59-30]:  Who knew that this would be a shootout??  Michael Freakin' Vick tossed 4 TD passes...which doubled his career high.  Ben Roethlisberger tossed 3 TDs before being knocked out of the game....only to see Charlie Batch toss 2 of his own.  Right now, Pittsburgh finds themselves at 2-4 and with a long road to get back to the playoffs. 

PATRIOTS 28-BILLS 6 [Sportz 2-1, 60-30]:  The Patriots are quietly 5-1 again and pretty much have the AFC East wrapped up already. 

BENGALS 17-PANTHERS 14 [Sportz 2-2, 60-31]:  Huge win by Cincy.  After losing two straight in unamazing fashion, the Bengals needed a win over a quality opponent to get their spirits up.  This was also a big loss for Carolina, who drops a game while Atlanta and Tampa win....and N'Awlins on a bye. 

CHIEFS 30-CHARGERS 27 [Sportz 2-3, 60-32]:  Big win for KC, who needed this divisional win at home.  Damon Huard has done an impressive job keeping this team afloat while Trent Green recovers from his injuries.  As for the Chargers...they are in a bit of a jam.  They lose Shawn Merriman for four games for a positive steroid test.  They trail the Broncos in the AFC West with the Chiefs right up their keister. 

PACKERS 34-DOLPHINS 24 [Sportz 2-4, 60-33]:  Miami has to be the most disappointing team this season.  They are now 1-6 and pretty much dead. 

JETS 31-LIONS 24 [Sportz 3-4, 61-33]:  Don't look now, but the Jets are 4-3.  With a pretty lame schedule ahead, the Gotham Green could make some noise down the stretch. 

BUCCANEERS 23-EAGLES 21 [Sportz 3-5, 61-34]:  Weird images.  Matt Bryant nailed a 62-yd FG to win this game.  Donovan McNabb throwing two horrific interceptions.  McNabb throwing up all over the field.  Brian Westbrook's awesome TD catch and run in the closing moments. 

TEXANS 27-JAGUARS 7 [Sportz 3-6, 61-35]:  This game made absolutely no sense.  The Texans dominated on the ground and with their defense.  Huh???  And don't look now but the Jags are 3-3.

BRONCOS 17-BROWNS 7 [Sportz 4-6, 62-35]:  Ho-hum.  Yawn.  Jake Plummer puts up piddly numbers....Tatum Bell looks great...the defense is awesome....Denver wins.

RAIDERS 22-CARDINALS 9 [Sportz 4-7, 62-36]:  For all that talk about the New Cardinals....well, they sure look like the old ones.

VIKINGS 31-SEAHAWKS 13 [Sportz 4-8, 62-37]:  Seattle lost their Hasselbeck...then lost the game.  Give it up to Minnesota who find themselves sitting at 4-2 and are as difficult a team to beat as anyone in the league. 

 

Shawn Merriman Busted For Roids

                              

Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has been notified he will be suspended for four games for violating the NFL's steroids and related substances policy, league and team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Merriman's positive test was "definitely for steroids … not one of those supplement deals," said a source with knowledge of Merriman's suspension.

 

Read more at ESPN.com

The Best World Series Since 1984

               

The Cardinals haven't won a World Series since 1982;  the Tigers last title was 1984.  Since 1984, the Cards have been to the Series three times [1985, 1987, 2004] while this is the first time we've seen the Tigers since then. 

ESPN.com is celebrating this by letting fans vote on the best World Series since 1984...and here is my crack at it.  Now, Yankee fans, don't get miffed that your titles are rated so low.  Aside from the 1996 series, you were just so dominant that the series themselves weren't that special.  And those Curse series of 2004 and 2005 rank low due to the lack of suspense and more feeling of a corination of a starved champion. 

20-ATHLETICS v GIANTS, 1989:  Known as the Earthquake Series, this is my most disappointing World Series ever.  It could've been great.  Both teams were really good and the Bay Area connection made it a hot item.  But the earthquake put an obvious damper on everything...and there was a 10-day delay between Games 2 and 3.  Also, the entire steroid controversy can be linked back to Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire....which leaves me with an entirely bad taste in my mouth. 

19-TWINS v CARDINALS, 1987:  The HHH Dome became legendary in this series as the home team won every game [that didn't happen again until 2001]. 

18-YANKEES v PADRES, 1998:  The Yankees were just sooooo great this season that their series with the Padres was like seeing a guy smoke his little brother in a game of one-on-one.  I mean, when Scott Brosius is the World Series MVP....it's just unfair. 

17-YANKEES v BRAVES, 1999:  The best thing about this Yankee buzzsaw over the Braves was the All Century celebration before Game 2. 

16-WHITE SOX v ASTROS, 2005:  A year after the Red Sox ended their curse, the Pale Hose did the same.  It was a "close sweep", so to speak, but an unremarkable series nontheless. 

15-BRAVES v INDIANS, 1995:  This was the first World Series after the 1994 strike...and it was marred by demonstrators.  Five of the six games were decided by just one run

                 

14-YANKEES v METS, 2000:  The Subway Series is remembered more for the Piazza-Clemens bat throwing moment more than anything on the field.....including the longest game in World Series history [nearly 5 hours].  Still, the Yanks won this series by a total of 3 runs. 

13-RED SOX v CARDINALS, 2004:  Historically, this should rate higher.  But the series itself was a dud.  After the Sox miraculously upended the Yankees in the ALCS....this was just a scrimmage. 

12-BLUE JAYS v BRAVES, 1992:  Canada's first title saw controversy with Canadian flags flying upside-down.  But the games were good....with 4 of the 6 games decided by just a run.  It also features the most peculiar end to a World Series - Otis Nixon dragging a bunt. 

11-MARLINS v YANKEES, 2003:  Should be ranked higher, since a very young Marlins team cultivated from the 1997 fire sale ended up punking the high priced Yankees. 

                              

10-REDS v ATHLETICS, 1990:  Personally, this was my favorite.  My Reds overcoming the odds and just sweeping up the Mighty A's.  Yeah, I overrated this series...so bite me!

9-MARLINS v INDIANS, 1997:  The Forgotton World Series because the Marlins sold everyone off after this series.  But there was so much interesting facts in this series.  One, the Marlins won the World Series in just their 5th year of existence...and became the first Wildcard team to win the championship.  The Indians were two outs away from winning the title before losing the lead in the bottom of the 9th in Game 7.  But check out the names that were in this series:  Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Jim Thome, Orel Hershiser, Bobby Bonilla, Kevin Brown, Moises Alou, Matt Williams, Cliff Floyd and David Justice. 

8-ANGELS v GIANTS, 2002:  In the past 20 series, many people think of 1985, 1986, 1991, 1997 and 2001 as series that saw a team with a shot at winning the title miss out.  People forget 2002.  There were the Giants.....up 5-0 during the 7th-inning stretch in Game 6....losing it all by allowing three runs in the bottom of the 7th and three more in the bottom of the 8th to get this series to a Game 7 and denying Barry Bonds his first championship. 

7-DODGERS v ATHLETICS, 1988:  Sure, the Kirk Gibson HR is probably the biggest moment in this timeframe [only a Bill Buckner miscue or Joe Carter can even rival it], but the series itself was pretty cut and dry after that shot. 

                              

6-BLUE JAYS v PHILLIES, 1993:  What other series could have a 15-14 game followed up by a 2-0 game??  This one, which saw Joe Carter ending the series in style. 

5-YANKEES v BRAVES, 1996:  This was the rebirth of the Yankee dynasty as the fell behind 0-2 before a Jim Leyritz HR in Game 3 turned the series around.  The Yankees won the final four games and their first title in nearly two decades. 

                           

4-ROYALS v CARDINALS, 1985:  A 7-game nail biter, the battle of Missouri started with the Royals losing the first two games at home.  The Cardinals held a 3-1 lead and all the momentum.  The Royals reeled off three straight wins, including a controversial win in Game 6 [pictured above] and an 11-0 beatdown in Game 7. 

3-TWINS v BRAVES, 1991:  These two teams went from worst-to-first to get to that Series.  It went the full 7 games....with three of the games going into extra innings....and 5 of the 7 games being decided by just one run.  Kirby Puckett made a great catch and hit a great HR.  The capper was Game 7, which saw Jack Morris pitch 10 scoreless innings to win the title. 

2-DIAMONDBACKS v YANKEES, 2001:  This was one of the most emotional World Series ever.  The only November classic, the series was pushed back due to the shutdown after the 9/11 attacks.  New York was in the series just two months removed from that horror.  President Bush walked out on that mound and fired in a first pitch.  The Yankees, down 0-2, won the middle three games in the Bronx each by one run....including Games 4 and 5 in extra innings.  After a D'backs blowout in Game 6, Arizona touched up the untouchable Mariano Rivera for two runs in the bottom of the 9th in Game 7 to take a 3-2 win and their first championship. 

1-METS v RED SOX, 1986:  To me, this is the best Series in this timeframe [the best series in my lifetime was the 1975 series].  This had everything - great players, great atmosphere, and the biggest gaffe in Series history.  This was New York beating Boston in the postseason.  This was the Red Sox nation collectively watching in disbelief their team choking away a World Series title in front of them. 

                    

Tigers-Cardinals World Series

                

Yep.  This is your fall classic.  The Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals. 

The American League Champion Tigers entered the postseason as a Wildcard team and have reeled off 7 straight wins after losing Game 1 of their ALDS series with the Yankees.  The same Tigers that were 71-90 last year....and 72-90 in 2004.....and 43-119 back in 2003.  The same Tigers that none of the ESPN experts picked in the preseason to even make the playoffs.  The National League Champion Cardinals entered the playoffs with the worst record amongst the postseason teams.  The Cards went 3-9 to end the regular season and nearly choked away a 7-game lead in the NL Central in the last two weeks of the season.  They are the third straight NL Central team to get to the series....with the previous two going a combined 0-8. 

It is a matchup of managers who have each won a World Series ring with a different team [Jim Leyland with the 2003 Marlins and Tony LaRussa with the 1989 Athletics].  Whomever wins this series joins Sparky Anderson as the ONLY managers in history to win a World Series in both leagues.  It is also the 2nd straight season that NL and AL Central teams met in the Series.

Bill Bucker Caused Cubs and Red Sox Curses To Collide

Read this excellent article from ESPN.com's Paul Lucas about how a photo reveals a double curse in '86.  You can see Bill Buckner right after missing that ground ball down the first base line.  He look his glove off to reveal a Cubs batting glove underneath his mitt. 

Buckner's explaination:  "I didn't even realize I was wearing it."

This isn't a photo shopped deal either....it is a legit picture.  Buckner was a Cub before being dealt to the Sox in 1984.  Also, it wasn't Buckner's lucky glove....since he was seen a year earlier with a more worn out Cubs batting glove on [the article has a picture to show that]. 

I like the timing of this....since that picture was taken in a Game 6 of a series that the Mets trailed 3-games-to-2....just like tonights game with the Cardinals.  And, eerily, the Cards have lost the last THREE series they were leading 3-2 heading into Game 6. 

All you Curse Fans out there....please feel free to check this article out....as it may stir up some more harsh feelings inside you. 

Denny Green Press Conference

Here is Arizona coach Denny Green after his Cards blew a 23-3 lead over the Bears.  Classic meltdown!!!

Did the Redskins Really Just Lose to the Titans???

   

TITANS 25-REDSKINS 22 [Sportz this week 0-1, season 50-25]:  Wow.  I mean, this is about as disappointing as it can get.  Wedged between games at the Giants and Colts, this was a must win.  A must win against a team with a rookie QB and a team that hadn't won a game all year.  Instead, the Redskins defense was embarrassed.....completely embarrassed.  Travis Henry ran for nearly 200 yards and Vince Young, at times, looked like a 10-yr vet.  What troubles me the most was that Clinton Portis rushed just 14 times.  That's it??  In a game that was nip and tuck after an early 14-3 lead?? 

GIANTS 27-FALCONS 14 [Sportz 0-2, 50-26]:  The Giants have officially become that team that you have no idea what to expect.  They can look so bad....and then go into Atlanta and beat a very good Falcons team.  Tiki Barber just burned Atlanta's defense.

COWBOYS 34-TEXANS 6 [Sportz 1-2, 51-26]:  Okay, Terrell Owens' first two TDs were cool.  But why was he in there on a goalline situation with a backup QB for his 3rd TD????  Is he that much like a child that he needs that to feel good??  What's that?? 

LIONS 20-BILLS 17 [Sportz 2-2, 52-26]:  This was the week that Mike Martz remembered that Kevin Jones is a darn good running back.  Congrats to the Lions on their first win.

SEAHAWKS 30-RAMS 28 [Sportz 3-2, 53-26]:  What a game.  What a game!  The Rams owned this thing in the first half.....and Seattle took it from them in the 2nd half.  That Torry Holt catch was magical, especially if you saw how bad the Rams offense was in that half.  Still, Seattle marched down the field and hit a huge game winning FG as time expired.  Wow....what a game!

SAINTS 27-EAGLES 24 [Sportz 3-3, 53-27]:  Another game that went down the wire.  This was a huge win for the Saints, who got a key conference win which kept them in first place in the NFC South.  Joe Horn, welcome back, man.

BUCCANEERS 14-BENGALS 13 [Sportz 3-4, 53-28]:  Two things.....yes, that was a TD....and, no, that wasn't roughing the passer.  But here is a little secret Bengals fans: they've been calling this kind of stuff all year.  Sure, it seems to be a great football play....but the league has been over protecting the QBs this year and I've seen less violence on a QB flagged.  I agree with the fact that it shouldn't be a penalty, but I've accepted the fact that it is the way the refs are calling the game now. 

PANTHERS 23-RAVENS 21 [Sportz 3-5, 53-29]:  That was impressive.  Carolina's offense just beat up the Ravens vaunted defense.  Delhomme was happy to see Steve Smith again as they made big play after big play together.  The Ravens are in a bit of trouble, given the stretch of games they are now in.

JETS 20-DOLPHINS 17 [Sportz 4-5, 54-29]:  Who cares? 

STEELERS 45-CHIEFS 7 [Sportz 5-5, 55-29]:  They're baaaaack.

CHARGERS 48-NINERS 19 [Sportz 6-5, 56-29]:  This sure made up for that beatdown in Super Bowl XXIX, eh??   Stupid LaDainian Tomlinson scored FOUR TDs. 

BRONCOS 13-RAIDERS 3 [Sportz 7-5, 57-29]:  I thought these games were supposed to be good??  Jake Plummer looked horribe and still won.

BEARS 24-CARDINALS 23 [Sportz 8-5, 58-29]:  What a comeback by the Bears....who seem to be on this magical journey.  Three defensive/special teams TDs in the final 20 minutes of the game.  Unreal!

Lamar Thomas Isn't "En Fuego" Either

                

"Now, that's what I'm talking about.  You come into our house, you should get your behind kicked. You don't come into the OB playing that stuff. You're across the ocean over there. You're across the city. You can't come over to our place talking noise like that. You'll get your butt beat. I was about to go down the elevator to get in that thing."

-Lamar Thomas

Steve Lyons Is Not "En Fuego"

                               

DETROIT -- Fox baseball broadcaster Steve Lyons has been fired for making a racially insensitive comment directed at colleague Lou Piniella's Hispanic heritage on the air during Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

The network confirmed Saturday that Lyons was dismissed after Friday's game. He has been replaced for the remainder of the series by Los Angeles Angels announcer Jose Mota.

Piniella had made an analogy involving the luck of finding a wallet, then briefly used a couple of Spanish phrases during Friday's broadcast.

Lyons said that Piniella was "hablaing Espanol" -- butchering the conjugation for the word "to speak" -- and added, "I still can't find my wallet."

"I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit too close to him now," Lyons continued.

Lyons claimed he was kidding.

"If I offended anybody, I'm truly sorry," Lyons said in a phone interview. "But my comment about Lou taking my wallet was a joke and in no way racially motivated."

Lyons flew Saturday to Los Angeles, where he hoped to meet with Fox chairman David Hill. Lyons had been working in the booth for the ALCS alongside Thom Brennaman and Piniella, the No. 2 broadcast team for Fox this postseason.

"Steve Lyons has been relieved of his Fox Sports duties for making comments on air that the company found inappropriate," network spokesman Dan Bell said.

In the second inning of Friday's game between Detroit and Oakland, Piniella talked about the success light-hitting A's infielder Marco Scutaro had in the first round of the playoffs. Piniella said that slugger Frank Thomas and Eric Chavez needed to contribute, comparing Scutaro's production to finding a "wallet on Friday" and hoping it happened again the next week.

Later, Piniella said the A's needed Thomas to get "en fuego" -- hot in Spanish -- because he was currently "frio" -- or cold. After Brennaman praised Piniella for being bilingual, Lyons spoke up.

Fox executives told Lyons after the game he had been fired.

Piniella, approached before Saturday's Game 4, declined to comment on the situation except to say: "No, he's not here today."

This was not a first-time offense for Lyons, nicknamed "Psycho" during his nine-year big league career as a utilityman that ended in 1993 with the Boston Red Sox.

Hired when Fox began broadcasting baseball in 1996, Lyons was suspended without pay in late September 2004 after his remarks about Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Green is Jewish and elected not to play one of the two games at San Francisco that took place during the Yom Kippur holiday.

The network apologized for Lyons' remarks at the time.

Earlier in the playoffs, while working the Mets-Dodgers NLDS, Lyons unwittingly made fun of a nearly blind fan who was wearing special glasses to see the game.

"He's got a digital camera stuck to his face," Lyons said.

He also once pulled down his pants on the field during his playing days.

Lyons, 46, was a career .252 hitter with 19 home runs and 196 RBI for Boston, the Chicago White Sox, Atlanta and Montreal. He was a first-round draft pick by the Red Sox, 19th overall, in 1981.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

Can We Kick Miami Out of The ACC???

                    

I've always hated Miami because they epitomized the term "rouge program".  But, I was applauding the ACC when they made the move to nab the Canes and bring them into our neat, cozy little conference.

Screw dat.

Miami has continued to embarrass a conference that prides itself on dignity.  Of course, I say this as the elitists of our conference, Duke, has an ongoing rape case involving it's lacrosse team.  But Miami has tore down that image into a new renegade football image.  Whether it is sigining a guy who had been arrested, like, 1000 times.....or having rap records released about the football team running the train on some coeds.....or this brawl that happened on Saturday....it just bugs me. 

Yep, the ACC asked for it.  The basketball conference sold its soul for football.  First it was the Free Shoes University [aka Florida State] which instantly paid off.....now Miami. 

The fight started when Miami WR James Bryant caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Wright and then drew a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. After making the TD catch, he pointed at the Florida International bench, and then took a theatrical bow toward the stands.

And what class.  What freaking class!!!  Miami is rolling over Florida International when this fight started.  FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL!!!!!  They are a Sun Belt team that just got up to D-I a few years ago.  You are pounding them...an 0-7 team....and deciding to taunt.

FIU isn't without blame either.  The Athletic Director should be ashamed.  Well, well, well, well.....the new AD came over from MIAMI after he just left his assistant AD job this week.  Hmmmm. 

Canes QB Kyle Wright said it in the best way a Miami player could:  "It's something they started.  And our guys finished it. ... They're going home with a 35-0 loss and they're 0-7."

      

Independence High Wins 100th Straight Game

             

Charlotte Observer | 10/14/2006 | 100 and counting

It was hard to tell if Independence was happier winning its 100th straight, or that it earned a day off.

"No practice (today), and that's a good thing," receiver Jason Barnes said.

The Patriots earned rest with a 54-22 romp at East Mecklenburg on Friday, rolling up 523 yards, forcing seven turnovers and scoring two touchdowns in each quarter.

It looked a lot like most of the victories in the six-year stretch of perfection. Eighty of the wins have been by 20 or more points.

The streak is the second-longest in U.S. history, behind the 151 of De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) from 1991-2004.

"We talk about the streak all the time," said Barnes, a senior. "That's the main goal. It's a lot of pressure, but we try to come out and have fun. As long as we do what the coaches say, we'll win."

Offensive lineman Guard Willie Simmons broke the postgame handshake, pointed at the scoreboard and yelped: "Yeah, we did that. It's 100, baby."

Independence's routine romps since 2000 made the three games decided by 11 or less this season a surprise. The Patriots beat Vance and Providence on last-minute defensive plays. The offense sputtered in long stretches.

That all changed against East Mecklenburg.

Darryl McFadden passed for 201 yards and two TDs, and ran for 84 yards and a score, despite not playing the fourth quarter. Fernando White caught five passes for 127 yards and a touchdown.

Jerlando Kasey bolted 91 yards on a scoring run. He and Dequan Leak had two rushing touchdowns apiece.

"We answered everything (East Meck) did," coach Tom Knotts said. "We made big plays offensively, and when they needed big plays, we got stops and turnovers."

Independence (8-0, 4-0in Southwestern 4A) dominated the first half with 323 yards. East Meck (5-3, 1-3) closed to 26-14 on Mike Mayhew's TD run in the third quarter.

Hope evaporated when the Eagles muffed a punt, which led to McFadden's 9-yard touchdown pass to Barnes.

Four minutes later, Leak sprinted 35 yards for a touchdown, and 40-14 lead.

"Really, 100 isn't that much different than 99 or 95," Knotts said. "The 152 will be special. That's the coaches' goal. The players just want to play and have fun. Our goal is to win a state championship."

Friday the 13th....The Day After

               

The Wade Blogs: Triskaidekaphobia : Top 13 players who wore No. 13

Triskaidekaphobia : Top 13 players who wore No. 13

This October is extra spooky considering it not only hosts Halloween but it also boasts a Friday 13th.

Sports players are known to be a supersitious bunch (after all this blogs name sake was known to eat the same exact chicken dinner during a hitting streak) but it is interesting to note that despite a general fear of the number some stars have been drawn to numero 13.

While the following 13 have embraced the number and made a name for themseleves it also interesting to note that each athlete in their own way had to endure a bit of bad luck. So with that in mind thewadeblogs.com uviels the following list of top 13 sports stars who dared to wear number 13.

1. Wilt the Stilt

Good Numbers: The Big Dipper is famous for putting up 100 points as well for the 20,000 number he claims who put out for him. Wilt also earned 4 MVPS along with 7 straight scoring crowns not to mention 2 championship rings during his storied career.

Bad Numbers: 1984...  year of Conan the Destroyer in which he played a supporting role alongside Ah-nold (actually we admit it is a guilty pleasure). Interestingly enough Chamberlain always wore a rubber band around his wrist due to a superstition.

How it all adds up: One of the greatest NBA stars ever. Not to mention Wilt was a great all-around athlete as he dabbled in track and field, volleyball, and even boxing. ( Check Wilt out playing the (softball) field at the picture at right.)

2. Dan Marino

Good Numbers: Undoubtedly one of the most prolific passers of all time Marino holds records in almost every category. Although his record 48 TDs in a season was recently eclipsed Dan the Man's rmarks are pretty impressive and might only be matched by Manning.

Bad Numbers: 0 Superbowl Rings. Also talk about the Pitts.. after a disappointing senior season in which he had tons of Heisman hype Marino would fall all the way to 27th in the draft with rumors of cocaine use running rampant.

How it all adds up: One greatest NFL QBs ever. If he had won just won championship we would have awarded him No. 1 on our list... instead we'll just send him a pair of isotoner gloves to show our love.

3. A-Rod

Good Numbers: Even in a down year the reigning AL MVP, hit .290 with 35 homers and 121 RBI

Bad Numbers: 24 errors were the most among AL third basemen. A-rod went 1-for-14 (.071) in the first-round playoff loss to Detroit and is 4-for-41 (.098) with no RBIs in his last 12 postseason games.

How it all adds up: Even if he does manage to stay healthy and make a run for Aaron's al-time home run record.. he'll still might be remembered most for not being able to hack it in the big apple.

4. Ralph Branca

Good Numbers: One of the reasons he claims to have worn the number 13 was to honor his family (which counted 14 children at the time minus his sister who had just past away). After starting the season with the Dodgers in the bullpen he would go onto to win 13 games in 1951 after winning 21 in 1947.

Bad Number: 2nd pitch in relief in 3rd game of a playoff. Branca gave up infamous 285 foot homer in the bottom of the ninth known as the "Shot Heard Around the World."

How it all adds up: Despite a prety good career Branca will always be known for being the unlucky pitcher on the losing end of one of baseball's greatest moments. Even to this day Branca won't let go of the fact that the New York  Giants we're supposedly stealing the Dodgers signs and Thompson was tipped off to his pitch.

5. Steve Nash

Good Numbers: 2 consecutive MVP awards

Bad Number: 2 consecutive bad haircuts... from surfer mop top to baldie... there has be some sort of happy medium.

How it all adds up: Outside of LaBlatt's Nash is def. the best import out of Canada (although did you know he was born in South Africa)

6. Omar Vizquel

Good Numbers: Won nine consecutive Gold Gloves (1993-2001) and a tenth in 2005. As of 2005, his .984 career fielding percentage is the highest of all-time for a shortstop in MLB history.

Bad Number: Lost in two attempts at the World Series.

How it all adds up: In an era of larger hitting shortstops like A-Rods, Jeters, and Ripkens Omar is a throwback and yet he continues to proved he is one of the best defensive shortstops ever.

7. Don Maynard

Good Numbers: in the 1968 AFL championship Maynard caught six passes for 118 yards and 2 and two weeks later he despite an injury he would help the jets to a 16 -7 upset over the colts

Bad Number: Selected No. 1 by the AFL's NJ Jets after being released by the New York Giants, he too would be hounded by the NYC press as became known about town as the  "NFL reject."

How it all adds up:  Broadway Joe and Maynard put the Jets on the map and incidently to this day are the only two players to have their numbers retired by the J-E-T-S. AFL/NFL/CFL aside Maynard put up numbers that would earn him a spot in Canton.

8. Dave Concepion

Good Numbers: 2 World Series Rings. 5-time All Star. Part of the legendary Big Red Machine and one best infields ever alongside Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez.

Bad Numbers: Spent all 19 season with Reds which is prety admirable but considering he had to deal with Marge Shot not to mention Shotize's crap on the turf we'd have to classify his later years as trying.

How it all adds up: One best shortsops of the 1970s.

9. Kurt Warner

Good Numbers: The Arena League and Wolrd Football journeyman threw for a record 414 passing yards and 2 touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV .  He was Super Bowl MVP in 1999, becoming one of the select few to win both the League MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same year.

Bad Numbers: In four games with his new cardinal team in 2006 Warner has been thubs as he kept fumbling the center exchange. As result he recently relingusihed the reigns to Leinart.

How it all adds up: For a few years there Warner was one best QBs in the league. Although now it looks like he'll be hanging up his spikes, Kurt should look on the bright side at least his wife got rid her hair spikes (her new blonde hair can be seen here.)

Note:

• Warner's number 13 was retired by the Iowa Barnstormers as well as by the Amsterdam Admirals .
• Warner's number was actually 12 in high school, as his favorite quarterback growing up was Roger Staubach.

 

10. Michael Ballack

Good Numbers : 75 goals in 232 Games Played in Bundesliga. Ballack has always worn the number 13 shirt for every club that he has played for (Chelsea, Bayer Munich) as well as theGerman national team.

Bad Numbers : 119 minute (29th of extra time). Lost a heart breaker in extra time to the eventual champs Italy in the World Cup semis. Due to an injury Ballack would sit out the 3rd place match which his team would go onto win.

Other noteable "13"s in soccer Premier League include William Gallas formerly of chelsea

• Cristian Chivu of A.S. Roma
• Aliaksandr Hleb of Arsenal
• Alessandro Nesta of AC Milan
• Ji-Sung Park of Manchester United

 

11. Mats Sundin

Good Numbers: 1st european player to ever be chosen #1 in the NHL entry draft. Sundin is the only player in the to have scored at least 70 points (excluding lock-out shortened season ) in each of the last 13 seasons. 

Bad Numbers: 15 stitches. In the opening game of the 2005-06 season on October 5th, he took a puck to the face which fractured his lower orbital bone. He returned to the line up on November 5th, 2005, exactly one month after sustaining his injury.

How it adds Up: How Swede a career it has been for the Swedish team captain but many hockey heads tend to agree that Teemu Selanne might be the most talent number 13 currently sporting skates.

12. Smarty Jones (2004) / Forward Pass (1968) / Burgoo King (1932)

Good Numbers: Each horse started their respective triple crown campaign form the 13th gate at Churchill downs and would go on to win the Derby as well as the Preakness.

Bad Numbers: 3rd race... Belmont. Burgoo King won the Derby and Preakness, but was forced out of the Belmont with a bowed tendon–that effectively ended his racing career. Forward Pass won on a DQ at the Derby, and won in Baltimore, only to come in 2nd at Bemlont. Smarty Jones came in 2nd after going out too fast allowing a 36-1 shot to beat him by a length.

How it all adds up: If you win the from 13th gate at the Derby.. it is pretty much a sure bet you are going to lose the Triple Crown.

Also how it doesn't add up: thewade lost probably at least 13 hrs researching these facts, scouring horse numerous racing databases.

13. NASCAR #13

Good Numbers: In 2000 Robby Gordon had a pretty good year in car number 13 as he had one Top 5 and two top 10s earning him 1309 Nextel cup Points and in 1998 Musgrave won over $1.2 million in just seven races.

Bad Numbers: 0 wins in 30+ years.

How it all adds up: Despite having 25+ different drivers since 1975 no driver in car 13 has won a race.

Honorable Mention:

Glenn Robinson - Bucks (The Bucks didn't stop here as the Big Dog signed an unprecedented 10-year, $68 million contract in 1994 but the journeyman is now out of the NBA)

Lance Parrish - Tigers (Before their was Pudge.. it was hard to budge this Tiger from the plate)

John Sydahar - Bears (one last NFL players not to wear a helmet he was the Bears #1 choice in the first NFL draft in 1936)

Candidate Proud Of Packing Packers

My wife found this.  Enjoy!:

Sex! Packers! Politics! Wisconsin secretary of state race has it all

GOP Candidate Proud Of Bed-Hopping With Packers
Secretary Of State Candidate Publishes Gushing Memoir

MADISON, Wis. -- Sex! The Green Bay Packers! Sex WITH the Green Bay Packers!

The usually ho-hum race for Wisconsin secretary of state is being spiced up by one candidate's naughty tell-all book about her bed-hopping exploits with Green Bay football legends during the team's glory days under Vince Lombardi in the 1960s.

Sandy Sullivan, a 65-year-old Republican with no political experience, self-published a gushing memoir in 2004 titled "Green Bay Love Stories and Other Affairs" in which she claims she was the girlfriend of Green Bay Packers Paul Hornung and Dan Currie, deflected a pass from Hall of Famer Don Hutson and was on the receiving end of a saucy comment from Richard Nixon

If the book is to be believed, the Packers did a lot of their scoring off the field, and Sullivan got her share of playing time.

In football-crazy Wisconsin, it is unclear whether the book will be a gain or a loss for Sullivan, who is not given much of a chance of beating Secretary of State Doug La Follette, a 28-year incumbent and a member of one of Wisconsin's most distinguished political families. But the book is getting people talking.

In it, she confides that her goal was always to marry a pro football player, saying they are "fast, sleek and clean," are built like "Greek gods" and love women.

"The football players of the 1950s and '60s were every bit as `HOT' as the men of the present day, if not more so," Sullivan writes of the days when she was a trim, miniskirted brunette who did some modeling. "Remember, the '60s was the `dawning of the Age of Aquarius' and some women ... were thrilled to experience this brave, new freedom, and celebrate our sexuality ... and the football players loved it!"

Sullivan, who is now a blonde and owns a marketing company that she says sets up autograph sessions and Packer appearances, is not hiding from her past. If anything, she is reveling in it. Her campaign Web site prominently mentions the book and features a picture of her with former Packers quarterback Bart Starr.

To those offended by the notion that a Packers groupie wants to run for state office, Sullivan said: "It tells a little bit about my youth, which was 50 years ago. If anybody has any problems with it, they ought to look in their own closet."

Rick Wiley, executive director of the state Republican Party, downplayed any concerns that the book could hurt her campaign. "Everyone has a past out there," he said.

He described Sullivan as a breath of fresh air, and suggested her candidacy has served a useful civic purpose: "She's been a fantastic candidate for an office that not many people take a long look at all."

As for her opponent, La Follette -- a distant cousin of Bob La Follette, a former governor, senator and one of the foremost figures of the clean-government Progressive movement of the early 20th century -- bemoans the attention the book is getting.

But "it's sort of amusing, quite honestly," the 66-year-old Democrat said. "She has a right to her life and if she wants to put it in a book, it's OK."

Sullivan says she was 19 in 1961 when she took a job with the Packers selling tickets and met Hornung, the Heisman Trophy-winning running back. She was instantly smitten with the wavy-haired golden boy known for his off-the-field romantic exploits.

"Here he was, in the flesh! Oh! My God! He was soooo CUTE! ... He immediately asked me out and I immediately accepted," Sullivan wrote. She quickly learned "there are two things football players think about all the time ... FOOTBALL AND SEX ... and seldom in that order."

She recounted an encounter with Hornung during training camp in which Hornung picked her up at 5:30 a.m. and drove to a Green Bay hotel for sex. Some Packer coaches were in the lobby, so Hornung made her climb the fire escape to the fifth floor while he went in through the lobby.

Hornung broke down the door to the fire escape, almost knocking her over the railing, she wrote. She wrote she doesn't remember having sex with him that night, "although I must have!"

Hornung did not return numerous messages left by The Associated Press. The book, however, includes a foreword in which he describes Sullivan as a "carefree, fun-loving girl who fit right in with me and the rest of the 'Pack."'

When she was 20 she met Hutson, who was 50 then and long past his playing days. She said Hutson asked her to sleep with him, but she turned him down because he was a "relic from the Stone Ages" and she was in love with Hornung.

She also fell for Currie, a Packers linebacker. ("SIGH! One would have to be in a coma not to want him," Sullivan wrote.) She later married Currie's dentist, Matt Sullivan. He died in 1984.

One time, Nixon came to Green Bay for a ceremony to honor Starr, and Sullivan attended in a miniskirt. When Nixon began to speak, she started swinging her legs and smiling at him. He returned the smile.

Later he shook her hand, leaned over into her and softly said, "Hello there ... so you must be the CHERRY of the evening." No one was sure what Nixon meant, Sullivan wrote, though she speculated he had confused her with Starr's wife, Cherry.

Packers fans at Lambeau Field on Monday said her stand on the issues - not her one-night stands - would determine whether they would vote for her.

Seventy-eight-year-old Carol Williams of Menasha said she was surprised at Sullivan's openness, but not her exploits.

"Who isn't doing things like that these days?" she said.

Barb Hill, 65, of Luxemburg, said of Sullivan's love life: "I can't see what that has to do with voting, why you'd need to know."

For her part, Sullivan wrote that her book could prove educational.

"Many of my football player friends tell me they have not read a book in years," she wrote. "If they want to know what I've written about them, they will have to read the book. Consider this book my personal contribution to the literacy of some of the former Green Bay Packers!"

Cory Lidle: 1972-2006

                          

The Worst Defensive Play Ever

This comes from one our greatest inventions, YouTube, where Steve Bono makes either the greatest fake of all time...or the Arizona Cardinals made the dumbest defensive play ever.  You decide from this 1995 classic....

Skins Were Road Kill

GIANTS 19-REDSKINS 3 [Sportz this week 0-1; season 37-24]:  The Skins were about as lifeless as you can be.  For some reason, the G-men do that to us.  We were bad all the way around.  Their offensive line bullied us and their defensive line played pretty well.  Of course, LaVar Arrington got his revenge on the Skins with a tipped pass....I mean, that was great [get your sarcasm detector out]. 

COLTS 14-TITANS 13 [Sportz 1-1, 38-24]:  Speaking of lifeless:  The Colts just sleepwalked thru this game, it seemed.  They can't be doing this crap and expect to be a Super Bowl calibar team. 

RAMS 23-PACKERS 20 [Sportz 2-1, 39-24]:  Don't look now, but the Rams are 4-1.  Green Bay did what it does best - keep it close before screwing it up.

BEARS 40-BILLS 7 [Sportz 3-1, 40-24]:  Chicago looks like the best team in the NFL right now.  Not that Buffalo is a great team or anything, but their defense is slightly tough.  But Chicago made them look like the NCAA's Buffalo Bulls instead. 

PANTHERS 20-BROWNS 12 [Sportz 4-1, 41-24]:  Carolina's defense looked much better this week....but the offense is still having issues running the ball and moving the ball.  They've won 3 straight, but haven't really looked to convincing in doing so. 

SAINTS 24-BUCCANEERS 21 [Sportz 5-1, 42-24]:  What's more surprising:  the Saints at 4-1 or the Buccs at 0-4??  There is always that one team that you figured we be pretty good that just tanks out when the season starts.  Tampa seems to be that team.  The Bucs have already lost to Atlanta, Carolina and now New Orleans.

PATRIOTS 20-DOLPHINS 10 [Sportz 6-1, 43-24]:  Miami is also one of those flailing teams.  They were in this game for quite a while until a bogus pass interference call put New England on the 1 yd line.  Still, this team is in a ton of trouble and could teeter over if the players tune out Nick Saban.

VIKINGS 26-LIONS 17 [Sportz 7-1, 44-24]:  See if you heard this before: the Lions were in this game, even winning late, until they handed the game off to Minnesota.  No, they really HANDED the game to the Vikes.  Two horrific turnovers by Jon Kitna late in the game led to two defensive TDs for Minnesota. 

NINERS 34-RAIDERS 20 [Sportz 8-1, 45-24]:  When the Niners are rolling you up....you really suck!

JAGUARS 41-JETS 0 [Sportz 9-1, 46-24]:  This one got out of hand early.  The Jets were thoroughly spanked in every possible way.  And it would have been worse if the dogs hadn't been called off.

CHIEFS 23-CARDINALS 20 [Sportz 10-1, 47-24]:  Both Damon Huard and Matt Leinart looked good in this game.  The difference was Larry Johnson's receiving ability [though he was knocked out of the game with a neck injury]. 

                                

EAGLES 38-COWBOYS 24 [Sportz 11-1, 48-24]:  This game was actually pretty bad.  Yeah, there were some big plays and electric energy....but it was a poorly played game.  Dallas blew coverages all day long.  Drew Bledsoe couldn't stay on his feet...and when he did, he couldn't figure out how to pass the ball.  Of course, the story of this game was how Donovan McNabb went off....and Terrell Owens was shut down.  And while Donovan was on one sideline smiling.....T.O. was busy yelling at everyone on his sideline.  It couldn't happen to a better team. 

CHARGERS 23-STEELERS 13 [Sportz 12-1, 49-24]:  Philip Rivers actually had to be a QB in this game.  Trailing 10-0, young Rivers led the Chargers to a 23-3 run to end the game....making some pretty big plays in the progress.  As Madden said after the game, this is his coming out party.  On the other side, Big Ben and the Steelers are in trouble.  Now 1-3, they could trail the Ravens by 3.5 games by the end of the week. 

G'Bye, Yankees!!

                

I know this seems like a "Yankee Hater" post....but it really isn't.  Well, sort of.  I don't really hate the Yankees....but I don't really like 'em either.  They've never personally done any wrong to me or my favorite team [the Cincinnati Reds blew thru the Yanks in the 1976 World Series].  But, like many others, have grown tired of watching and hearing about them. 

One decade ago, in 1996, I was rooting for the Yankees.  They were playing the Atlanta Braves in the World Series....and I loathe the Braves.  So I was very excited that the Yanks made that great comeback and beat Atlanta in the Series.  I rooted for them again in 1999 when they faced Atlanta again in the Fall Classic.  So I don't really hate them.

But, I must admit, there is some glee in me to see [whoa, I'm a poet and didn't know it] the Yankees fall flat in the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers.  In the decade since the Yankees won that magical 1996 World Series, we've all had to sit in front of our TVs each October and be beaten over the head with New York's finest.  Yes, being good means you are there....and no one is really taking that away from them.  Of course, they play in a division which features an expansion team hellbent on staying that way [Devil Rays] and the poorly run franchise in all of baseball [Orioles]....but they still won it.  Sure, their payroll is obsenely more than anyone else's....but you spend money when you make money.   Trust me, I get it!

Would I trade the Reds last decade for the Yankees???  Heck yeah!  But the Reds had that already - it was called the 1970s.  Of course, that Reds team had built up an outstanding team thru their farm system and then watch them all leave via this new thing called "free agency".  In the 30 years since that Reds-Yankees World Series....the Reds have been to the World Series just once....winning it in 1990. 

The link in there??  Paul O'Neill was on both the Reds and Yankees during their title years in the 1990s. 

Of course, the Reds don't have a $200M payroll and house a team that would make any fantasy baseball player jealous.  The Reds weren't really in the running when A-Rod was on the market.  Or Bobby Abreau.  Or Johnny Damon.  Or Jason Giambi.  Hideki Matsui wasn't interested in Cincinnati when he came to the States. 

And that is why me....as well as many other baseball fans.....are happy to see the Yankees fail.  It's hard to feel sorry for any of them [well, Derek Jeter].  Alex Rodriguez is the highest paid player ever...and he goes a robust 1-for-14 in this series and is hated by his own fans.  So?  It comes with the territory.  And don't tell me that the Yankees don't secretly wish that they had Alphonso Soriano back instead of A-Rod.  Heck, they tried to deal for him back.  They can do that.  They are the Yankees.

Meanwhile, my Reds made some deals too.....getting wishy washy bullpen guys and trading two of their better hitters to do so. 

The Detroit Tigers....who were a laughingstock a few years ago as they were flirting with the worst record in baseball history...took out the mighty Yankees.  The same Tigers team that spent last weekend being swept by the Kansas City Royals as they were fighting for the division title.  The same Tigers team that went 19-31 down the stretch.  Detroit is a darn good team now [aside:  is there any doubt about Pudge Rodriguez being one of the best catchers of all time??  He turned the Marlins pitching staff into WS champions and may do so with this Tigers staff]. 

At least it was the Tigers that beat the Yankees...and not the Red Sox.  Thank God it wasn't Boston.  At least Yankee fans don't have to say "Hey!  I'm a Yankees fan!!" every time you see them.  Of course, I can just say "Tony Perez" and they usually shut up....or drone on about Carlton Fisk's home run.  Yeah, until 2004, the greatest moment in Red Sox history was in a World Series they lost. 

And that just bends up Boss Steinbrenner so much that he is firing Joe Torre.  Why not?  I mean, he's only led you to the playoffs every season even though you meddle in his affairs andmake him manage bad chemistry guys.  Stocking the pitching staff with guys 35 and over doesn't really equate to success.  Meanwhile, everyone else in the playoffs [well, except the Mets] throws out there some young pitchers they've developed. 

Instead, it will be the Tigers and A's fighting for the AL title....two teams that have been around forever too.  Of course, the Athletics' last title was during an earthquake and led by two major roided figures [Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco]....and the Tigers last title was by beating the Padres who wore those gold and brown jerseys.  Ugh.  Of course, Sparky Anderson was the manager of that Tigers team....just as he was the manager for the Big Red Machine.  Oh, and the last A's pennant was in 1990....the year the Reds swept them. 

At least Reds fans have that: a 9 game World Series winning streak.  And they way it looks....we'll have that one for quite a while.

So, Yankee fans....go back home and pine.  Watch your owner throw a spoiled fit like Veruca Salt at Willy Wonka's factory and fire every coach and player he can point at.  He'll attempt to fix it by trading for more big names and big egos and big problems...then blame Lou Pinella [the rumored replacement for Torre] when it goes wrong.  It is never anyone else's fault.  Rich guys think that throwing money at problems makes them go away.

"When it goes wrong" will probably be in October again....as the Yankees will bulldoze thru the season and then run into a better team in the playoffs. 

Maybe A-Rod will be batting 9th then?

Meanwhile, the crosstown Mets will be playing in the NLCS and will be the odds on favorite to win the whole thing.  And won't that make The Boss mad.....the Mets first title in 20 years?  Whomever wins it will have been waiting for a while [A's-16, Tigers-22, Cardinals-21, Padres-never].

And that will be fun.

Buck O'Neil 1911-2006

Buck O'Neil has passed away....meaning the world has lost one of the nicest men and a great baseball ambassador.  If not for O'Neil, the history of the Negro Leagues and the paths that the black ballplayers walked down would just be washed away and forgotten. 

Earlier this year, Mr. O'Neil gave a speech at the Hall of Fame to introduce former Negro League players into the Hall....a place that he wasn't invited to join.  That is a shame, as if any person deserves to be placed among the greatest men of baseeball, it is Mr. O'Neil.  The world has lost a great man and baseball lost a huge chunk of it's past.  Baseball missed the chance to honor this man....and that is a shame.

Stephen Jackson and Strip Clubs Don't Mix

By Vic Ryckaert

vic.ryckaert@indystar.com

Update, 1:09 p.m..: Videotape shows car that hit Jackson

A security camera outside the Club Rio strip bar captured only part of the incident, Sgt. Matthew Mount said. 

The grainy image shows a side view of the car as it strikes Jackson. The rest of the incident took place outside of the camera’s view.

Police say the car is a blue 1980s model General Motors vehicle with two doors and chrome rims.

Elsewhere, Gov. Mitch Daniels had little to say about the incident when asked by reporters this morning.

 

Daniels said he did not know enough about the incident to comment.
“I just hope everybody’s OK,” he said.

 

Update, 11:51 a.m.: Team cites official review, issues ‘no comment’

The Pacers issued a statement late this morning saying the team would have no comment – and neither would the four players involved in the bar fracas.

“The incident Friday morning involving some of our players is currently being reviewed by the proper authorities,” the Pacers said in a statement.

“All parties involved are cooperating with the authorities. Since this is an ongoing review of the matters that took place Friday morning, the Pacers will have no further comment at this time.”

The team scheduled practice for this afternoon at Conseco Fieldhouse.

“The four players the Indianapolis Police Department reported as being involved, Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Jimmie Hunter and Marquis Daniels, will not be available for any interviews under advice from legal counsel,” the statement said.

Update, 11:13 a.m.: Fracas is the latest in string for Jackson

The situation was the latest in a string of incidents during Jackson’s stay with the Pacers.

He was suspended 30 games for his role in a brawl with Detroit Pistons fans at Auburn Hills two seasons ago. Last season, he constantly argued with officials and coach Rick Carlisle, and was singled out by team president Larry Bird for his negative attitude.

Bird said in May that the team’s players will shape up or play elsewhere next season. He said he was done dealing with bad attitudes, selfishness and laziness.

“They’re the ones that have to make the changes,” he said during that press conference. “If they can’t make the changes, yes, we have to look to move them.”
- AP

Update, 10:48 a.m.: Three men sought in Pacers fight

Police want to question three men involved in the incident.

One man is in his 20s and goes by the nickname “Dino,” Mount said. Dino is stocky, bald and was wearing a red and black cap with the letters “BB.”

Another man is his mid-20s goes by the nickname “Fingers,” Mount said. Fingers is short and has thin short hair. He also is disabled, with short arms and a thumb and two fingers on each hand, Mount said.

The third man is in his late 20s or early 30s, heavy set and bald, Mount said.

Update, 10:30 a.m.: Team plans statement; Jackson reflected on image

Phone calls to Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, CEO Donnie Walsh, team president Larry Bird, Marquis Daniels' agent, Jamaal Tinsley's agent, Stephen Jackson's agent were not immedately returned.

The team plans to release a statement later today. The Pacers have an afternoon practice, and players were scheduled to be available around 3:30 p.m.

Stephen Jackson talked about his image on Monday, the team’s Media Day.

"I'm one of the older guys on this team and I want to leave this game on a good note and leave a good impression on these guys,” he said.

“I came a long way to be here and I want these young guys to see the good side of me as being a good basketball player, a guy that comes and gives 110 percent to win every day and does whatever he has to do for his teammates. I've got to start playing for them now, leading by example, not doing too much talking.

“Coach (Rick Carlisle) can take me out of the game and let me know when I messed up and I've got to take it. And they'll know they've got to take it, too."

Earlier: Gunfire follows Pacers fracas

Four members of the Indiana Pacers were involved in a shooting incident this morning at a Westside strip club, Indianapolis police said.

Stephen Jackson fired five shots from a 9-mm handgun after someone hit him in the face and tried to run him over with a vehicle outside Club Rio at about 3 a.m., IPD spokesman Sgt. Matthew Mount said.

Video from a security camera outside the club captured the car striking Jackson, Mount said. Authorities were looking for an older model blue GM car with chrome rims.

Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Marquis Daniels and Jimmie Hunter had argued with another group of men outside the club at 5054 W. 38th St., Mount said.

“The Pacers said there had been some problems and they tried to extricate themselves,” Mount said.

One of the men punched Jackson in the mouth and then got into a vehicle and ran into him, police said.

“He was hit in the mouth,” Mount said. “He was bloodied up pretty good.”

The attackers fled after Jackson fired his handgun. Police do not know if anyone was injured or if the bullets struck the man’s vehicle.

Jackson, who has a valid permit for the gun, was limping but refused medical treatment at the scene.

“We’re not sure if he just went over the hood or he went over the whole car,” Mount said. Jackson told officers he would seek help from the team’s medical staff and trainers.

Tinsley and Daniels also had guns in their vehicles, Mounts said, but never pulled them during the incident. Tinsley has an Indiana gun permit; Daniels has a Florida permit.

A small amount of marijuana was found in Jamaal Tinsley’s car, Mount said, but no one was arrested because the drug can not be linked to any particular person.

“There’s no way of telling whose it was, hence no arrests,” Mount said.

Prosecutors are evaluating the evidence to determine if any charges are warranted, Mount said.

Jackson joined the Pacers in 2004. The club said it planned to release a statement about the incident later today.

In a Sept. 13 interview posted on Pacers.com, Jackson said he has a positive attitude is devoted to being a role model for his teammates.

"More than us playing hard and being young guys with a lot of energy, we’ve got to be smart," Jackson said.

"We’ve got to make smart decisions on the court and off the court. We’ve got to be smarter as far as leading the young guys and watching what we do."