Categories
Seattle Supersonics

Around the Rim: The Sonics continue to evolve


1. The sun is finally shinning in Seattle

The ever changing face of Seattle just got another nip and tuck as the Sonics finally filled their vacant head coaching spot with the ultra talented, yet blackballed, P.J. Carlesimo. Fans in Seattle have got to be ecstatic with their new, overhauled roster of young talent and now they have an experienced coach who knows what it takes to win. After all, the guy has spent the last five seasons with the Spurs as an assistant to Gregg Popovich, so he has probably picked up a couple of tricks from Pop that he’d be more than willing to use against him. And poor player relationships like the one that got his throat squeezed in a “Why I oughta…” type moment straight out of an episode of The Simpsons back in Golden State shouldn’t be an issue anymore. Not only has Carlesimo had ten years to become more player friendly, but he has a young sponge in Kevin Durant who would make any coach happy to roll out of bed in the morning. Nobody has had a better off-season than Seattle and the good times should continue coming for years to come with this new, young core of talent. Enjoy Sonics fans, enjoy.

2. Kobe’s mood swings keep on coming

The Kobe coaster continues to roll up and down through the peaks and valleys of La-La Land. The latest turn has taken us dead smack into another apology and backtrack by Bryant. Weeks after the whole, “I want out of Los Angeles…I love Los Angeles” radio talk kicked off the controversy, Bryant told the media that he apologized to GM Mitch Kupchak for his infamous on-air/video blasts. He said that he was sorry and that it all just came out wrong as he was venting. He also said that he hasn’t thought about being traded in a “long, long time.” We’re not buying it though; after all, hasn’t he been watching the TV this past week? It has got to be killing Kobe that all these teams are getting new franchise building faces via the draft, free agency or trades. Meanwhile, all the worthwhile opportunities for him to move on to a winning environment are simply dwindling away.

3. Phoenix gets even more talent
There was some talk for a while that Grant Hill could be joining the Spurs in order try and piggyback his way to the championship ring that has eluded him his entire career, but after San Antonio held onto Jacque Vaughn, Matt Bonner and Fabricio Oberto it became obvious that they weren’t going to have the funds to pay for Hill’s dream to come true. So, Hill did the next best thing: he joined the Suns roster in an attempt to become the missing piece that propels Phoenix past the Spurs in next year’s playoffs. It’s not like Mike D’Antoni really needed any more talent in the superstar diamond mine they call Phoenix, but there’s no way anyone could turn down putting Hill on their bench for a mere $2 million per season. If Hill can stay healthy and be just one-tenth of the mega talented All-Star that he was in Detroit then Phoenix could have their very own Robert Horry/Michael Finley as a nice compliment to their nucleus. Or, even better, they could get their very own Grant Hill; a potential 18ppg, 6rpg, 6apg type of guy.

Buzzer Beater: If you haven’t made your travel arrangements yet, you’re probably screwed because Tony Parker and Eva Longoria are going to be tying the knot on Saturday in France. We’re sure it will be a lovely ceremony with lots of glitz and glamour and big name celebrities. We can’t wait to hear all the great gossip about the dress and the cake and the church! Hopefully some photos will leak and we’ll get some embarrassing snap shots like the ones from A.J. Hawk’s wedding with, say, David Robinson playing the role of Brady Quinn.

Categories
MLB General

The Full Count: All-Star Game auditions


This isn’t Guys and Dolls, but if yesterday was an audition for All-Star pitchers to prove they’re worthy of starting next Tuesday in the Midsummer Classic, some passed with flying colors, while others just gave up big flys. And lots of them. Yesterday’s winners were Justin Verlander of the Tigers, Josh Beckett of the Red Sox and Jake Peavy of the Padres; while Brad Penny of the Dodgers and C.C. Sabathia of the Indians should have Leyland and LaRussa screaming “Next!” Verlander beat Sabathia head-to-head, going seven strong innings and striking out seven. Sabathia, on the other hand, was brutal, only lasting four innings and giving up three homers. Beckett dominated the D-Rays, but doesn’t everybody? Peavy, though, was a victim (again) of lack of run support, but still had a great outing going seven innings with 6 K. Penny, who has been the best pitcher in the National League, was a nightmare, lasting only four innings while giving up six runs in his worst outing of the year.

Maybe it’s the beer talking, but how pathetic is the NL Central? The Milwaukee Brewers were enjoying the most comfortable division lead outside of New England, but if they don’t improve their play on the road, they could be crying in their drinks come October. After losing three of four to the pathetic (if they improved) Pittsburgh Pirates, the Brewers road record stands at 18-24, worst of all the first place teams. Lucky for them, they’re 30-13 in the house of hops. It was a rough series for the Crew, as Ben Sheets and the staff couldn’t keep Adam LaRoche and Ryan Doumit in the yard. Those modern day Ruth and Gehrig clones combined for five HR and 10 RBI in the series. Even worse, star outfielder Billy Hall sprained his ankle trying to catch one of them. Hall is out indefinitely. Mmmmmmm….beer.

They like us! They really, really like us. As expected, starting pitcher Chris Young of the Padres and reliever Hideki Okajima of the Red Sox won the online voting for final roster spots on the All-Star team. Over the last few years, the race to be Mr. Irrelevant on the squad has taken on a life of its own. According to mlb.com, over 23 million votes were cast for ten players, with Young and Okajima winning with about 4.5 million each. Even more interesting is the campaigning that goes on for a guy who might not even get into the game. Brandon Webb’s hometown of Ashland, KY held “Vote for Brandon Webb” day and in Pittsburgh, the Pirates set up laptops in the PNC Park concourse so fans could cast an online ballot –or 25– for lefty Tom Gorzelanny. In the American league, Red Sox Nation proved again to be the most nerdy (and far reaching, as we’re sure all of Japan clicked on) as they voted a Sox player in for the third time in five years.

Player of the day: Mike Lowell, Red Sox 5 for 6, HR, 5 RBI, 3 R against the Devil Rays

Categories
Oakland Raiders

Guess who won’t be on the Raiders practice squad this year?


Being on the practice squad must suck. You make about $5000 a week (which isn’t bad for normal people but sucks in comparison to the players on the real team), you are largely ignored by everyone, and on top of that, you have a hard time keeping a straight face when trying to pick up chicks with the “I’m a professional football player” line.

On the flip side, you still are playing football for a living. So it always surprises us when a player will throw away his chance at a football career by trying to make some quick cash or doing something stupid. This week’s “winner” is Bryant McNeal of the Oakland Raiders. McNeal was arrested yesterday on an outstanding December 2005 warrant for selling a Land Rover for $15,000. Because he was craaaazy for selling it at such a low low price? No, because the car didn’t actually belong to him.

McNeal is also accused of writing a fraudulent $1,500 check to Berger Dental Group. Well, at least he’ll have a nice smile when he takes your order at the local Burger King.

Links:
[Yahoo]:Raiders reserve arrested on 2005 warrant

Categories
MLB General

2 years and 9 months in jail for what?


Troy Ellerman, the attorney who leaked grand jury testimony in the BALCO case has agreed to the maximum sentence of 2 years and 9 months in jail. While this is 9 months longer than his plea bargain, prosecutors did reduce his fine from $250,000 to $60,000. Ellerman had also previously gave up his California law license. Ellerman pleaded guilty to allowing Mark Fainaru-Wada to see confidential transcripts.

So the question is, what exactly did Ellerman get out of this? He was a successful attorney when he was hired to defend Victor Conte and now his life is basically ruined. Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams got a book, an SI cover story, and national exposure out of it. Ellerman gets almost 3 years in federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison. We guess we shouldn’t feel too sorry for a guy who couldn’t keep his mouth shut and his photocopier off but Mark Fainaru-Wada should be visiting him every week in prison and slipping him some money.

Links:

[AP]: BALCO leak agrees to maximum sentence

Categories
All Other Sports

TNA Impact Recap: The Dudley Boys did it…NOOOOOOOO!



We’d be a lot more accepting of Team 3-D
if Stacy Keibler was still around.

After last week’s hour long, hardcore, three-way (it’s not what it sounds like) between Kurt Angle, Christian Cage and Rhino, we were a little worried that we might be looking at another 60-minute marathon when Impact kicked off their show with a triple threat match for the TNA Tag Team Championship. But it ended up being an incredibly action packed bout between the champs, Team 3-D, L.A.X. and A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels that was so entertaining that time wasn’t a factor. It should have ended after Styles took a wicked Border Toss from Hernandez, but Daniels pulled the ref out of the ring before his hand hit the mat for the third count. Next thing you know, Hernandez and his huge frame are flying over the top rope for a suicide dive on Brother Devon, Daniels and Styles. Pretty amazing stuff by a 300-pounder!

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Brother Ray leaps off the top turnbuckle to the floor below, crushing both members of L.A.X. and an unfortunately misplaced Styles in the process. But the match would end suddenly when Team 3-D nailed the 3-D on Daniels to retain their TNA Tag Team belts. Ugh, again the future is sitting and waiting while the past gets to bask in their 20-title reign with yet another main event to their credit. When will poor Styles, quite possibly the most talented wrestler in the biz, ever get another big break? But we digress; so, in the Match of Champions at Victory Road, it will be Team 3-D taking on the uneasy combination of TNA Heavy Weight Champion Kurt Angle and X-Division champ Samoa Joe with a variety of outcomes hanging in the balance.

Then there was a hardcore, three-way, catfight (it is what is sounds like) between TNA eye-candy Ms. Brooks, Gail Kim and Jackie Moore. We haven’t seen three ladies tear into each other like that since that tequila filled Spring Break in Mexico back in ’02. While there are really no losers in a match like this, at least for the entire male viewing audience, Moore ended up taking the fall as Kim got the pinfall.

But the highlight of a highlight filled evening was Kurt Angle’s self appreciation night after he whopped Brock Lesnar in some gimmick match in Japan. And just as Angle was getting around to how great he was for the fifth or sixth time, Team 3-D had the nerve to interrupt his monologue with an old fashioned ass kicking. But all’s well that end’s well for the champ as he capped off the night by putting Joe through a table. This partnership is off to a smashing start.

Oh, but there’s still more; we finally got a look at Abyss’ ugly mug without the mask on and it wasn’t a pretty sight. He was wearing Sting’s face paint and looked an awful lot like a bloated Gene Simmons from KISS’ heyday. Next week, the freak speaks; stay tuned!

Categories
College Football

The Biggest Damn Dork In The Land

College football is just around the corner and everyone is beginning to wear their team colors proudly in anticipation of the upcoming season. But you’ve got your normal fans and then you’ve got your SUPER fans whose life’s mission is to honor their chosen university. Shawn Swick is one of those SUPER fan kinda guys.

Swick loves The Ohio State University so much that he turned one of his rooms into “The Best Damn Room In The Land” by recreating the hallowed Horseshoe with a room size mural that took 10 gallons of paint and one year to complete. The Buckeye freak says that he just loves the team and thought the idea was pretty cool.

Believe it or not, some people think that the room is completely stupid and this guy is off his rocker. No, really?

I’ve gotten responses saying this is a waste of time. This is a waste of money. I don’t really care,” Swick said.

So, really cool or really embarrassing; you be the judge:

We vote embarrassing.

Links:

[10TV.com]: Check Out `Best Damn Room In The Land’

Categories
All Other Sports

The best of the best, by the numbers

Have you ever sat around and wondered “Who is the greatest athlete to ever wear the No. 86?” Yea, we hadn’t either until SI.com came out with their piece on “The best athletes by number.” Now, we can’t help but argue over who the better No. 34 was: Walter Payton, Shaquille O’Neal or Kirby Puckett. According to SI.com, it’s Sweetness.

Anyways, it’s a pretty interesting read and it’s a great way to kill time over the dull days of summer sports. And when we say “kill time,” we mean kill time. You have to flip through each jersey number one by one, so you really have to want to know who the greatest No. 86 of all time is to make the painful journey of mouse clicks. So, when someone makes it to No. 23, let us know who it is. We’re dying to find out.

Until then, enjoy the retirement of Kenny “The Jet” Smith’s No. 30 Houston Rockets jersey. How did SI mess that one up? They went with some guy named Nolan Ryan.

Links:

[SI.com]: The best athletes by number

Categories
All Other Sports

Somehow Ultimate Frisbee celebrates another birthday

The summer is here and this is the time of year when people are supposed to get out and enjoy the weather by hopping in the local cement pond or playing your favorite outdoor sport.  Some people like baseball, others like to simply toss around the old pigskin.  But then there are the people who play with a Frisbee and call it an “Ultimate Frisbee” league.

Now, we’ve heard about these types of nut jobs before, but we just can’t believe they’re still around.  But, apparently, we shouldn’t be surprised because the “sport” has been around for 40 years and has leagues across the nation.  Who would have guessed?  We know that we shouldn’t knock it until we’ve tried it, but when it comes to calling Ultimate Frisbee a sport, we just can’t do it.  That would be like saying “lights out bowling” with the glow in the dark pins is a sport too.  Hell, why not slap the world “extreme” in front of  tetherball and make another new sport?

But we’re not going to completely blow off this 40 year Frisbee fad; if  Stewie digs it then we’re willing to give it chance. It certainly beats the hell out of competitive eating as a sport.

Categories
MLB General

The Full Count: Chris Young makes his case

There is a possibility that there will be NO SOUP FOR YOU!! Every year there is that one All-Star snub that just baffles everyone. This year’s candidate has to be Padres pitcher Chris Young. Young will probably make the NL team, one way or the other. He can be voted in in the final online voting, which ends at 6 p.m. Eastern today, or he could replace an injured player, such as John Smoltz of the Braves. However, in last nights game against the Marlins, Young made the proverbial statement that he should’ve already freakin’ been there, LaRussa, with another stellar outing. Young went seven innings, allowing no runs while striking out nine. Like the proverbial broken record, he got a no decision for his effort. It was the seventh time Young has carried a shutout into the seventh inning this season, and the fourth in which he got no decision. In 17 starts, Young has allowed only 23 earned runs. Not to get all editorial after your July 4 hangover, but if the game is going to count as far as awarding home field advantage in the World Series, then managers Tony LaRussa and Jim Leyland should be able to pick the best team available, and not be hamstrung by the every-team-must-be-represented rule.

Old Man River does it againThe Tigers snapped the Indians six-game winning streak 6-4, with the help of Kenny Rogers. Rogers won his third straight start since coming of the DL and kept the Tigers two games behind Cleveland in the Central and 1.5 games ahead of the Mariners for the Wild Card. Carlos Guillen led the offense by going 3 for 4 with a run-scoring triple. It was Rogers’ sixth straight win going back to last year’s postseason, and he has allowed only four earned runs this year.

I love New York, it’s the rest of the league that’s the problem. The Colorado Rockies became the first team since 1956 to sweep two New York teams in the same season. The Rock gave the Mets an old fashioned Coors enema, pounding out 20 hits and 17 runs and forcing Mets pitchers to throw 233 pitches (including 107 in 4 innings by El Duque Hernandez). The Rockies swept the Yankees three weeks ago, and outscored the Gothams 47-17 overall. Unfortunatley, they have no more games left against New York teams. Bye bye wild card hopes.

Player of the Day: Garrett Atkins, Rockies. 4 for 5, HR, 5 RBI and 2 runs scored in a 17-7 win over the Mets.

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All Other Sports

Don’t get caught looking the wrong way

We found this pic on digg and had to share.