Without Sports I'd Die

Patrick Ewing

2010-08-05T11:33:00.010-04:00

It's been a while. Let's celebrate Patrick Ewing's birthday today with a post.

Is that Rick Pitino? Anyone up for Italian?

I've been thinking about making a post for a long time. I really didn't intend on making my first post in a while to talk about Brett Favre, another one of my childhood heroes, I promise.

Brett is killing me. Why is he doing this? It doesn't make any sense. The limit to retire and unretire is one time. I can understand if you say it one time, think it over, and come back because you feel you're making a mistake. This has already went too far. This is, as Dan Patrick says on his radio show, "As The Favre Turns", a soap opera. Did he text his teammates? Probably. Are his teammates going to protect him and say he didn't? Yes, they have to. Did ESPN make up this story so Ed Werder could stalk Brett Favre for the next few weeks? I wouldn't doubt it after "The Decision".

Brett was the ironman, the kid who loved to play football, but now he is the old man and the spoiled brat who doesn't want to go to training camp. If he wants us to remember him for the two latter things, he better change the way he takes care of his business. Minnesota fans will forgive him because they know he's their ticket to the Super Bowl and without him they'll be the Adrian Peterson show and nothing else. Everyone else who sees the big picture may not.

Let's talk about something else.

The Cincinnati Reds are off to the races. The Central Division battle is going to be exciting for the rest of the Summer and Fall. The Reds don't seem to be going anywhere, anytime soon, sorry St. Louis.

What a season so far! I have not felt this way about a team in a long, long time. I love their roster. So many fun players to watch and root for. Scott Rolen, Jonny Gomes, and Mike Leake are a few I've really taken a likin' to. The team is full of young potential too. Johnny Cueto is dealing on a consistent basis. Stubbs is raw, but we've seen what he's capable of, 3 HRs in a game against CHC earlier this year. Paul Janish stepping up for an injured OC (Orlando Cabrera), and Chris Heisey, is proving himself worthy of a starting role.

...but wait there's more! The Reds still haven't brought up their fireballer of the future, Aroldis Chapman. He's the coming attraction. The bullpen help the Reds need. Here's hoping he delivers when he's called up from Louisville.

It's August and to think the Reds can win the division is definitely something that makes me a happy person. The games are actually meaningful for the first time in a long time and that, my friend, is just plain sweet.

The Reds are in Chicago this weekend and then move back to GABP to face off against the Cardinals in what should be a great pennant race series.

Here's lookin' at you kid.

Tim Kempton

2009-09-11T13:10:00.010-04:00

A big weekend coming up, plenty to offer no matter who you are.

First, take a second today to pray for all of the victims and survivors of 9-11. I'll never forget where I was and what I was doing when everything was going on.

Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's record on this date in 1985. Here's an SI article from September 16, 1985. As I've said one hundred times, Pete Rose belongs in Cooperstown. The only person who may come close to breaking his record is Ichiro and that's a stretch.

A huge weekend for NBA fans, Chicago Bulls fans, Utah Jazz fans, and San Antonio Spurs fans.

Michael Jeffrey "Air" Jordan, John Houston Stockton, Coach Jerry Sloan,
and David Maurice "The Admiral" Robinson are being inducted into the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. Former Rutgers women's coach Vivian Stringer will be inducted as well and deservingly so.

Jordan was the best. He still in my mind was the best player to ever step foot on a pro basketball floor. He could do it all. He was amazing on offense, the dunks, jump shots, and game winners always took your breath away, especially that shot against Utah in the Finals. I still contest he pushed off, but whatever. I will admit I was a Jordan hater at the time. I realized a few years ago I witnessed greatness every time I watched him play. Fortunately, I was able to watch him play in person at Gund Arena when I was 13 years old.

Stockton will be known as the best player not to want the spotlight. As J.A. Adande explains in his article. He was probably my favorite player who I secretly rooted for. I loved his style, from the short shorts to his hairy legs. I liked John Stockton. He and Karl Malone were as much fun to watch play as anyone. It's a shame they never got a ring together, but that's alright, Stockton's still a champion.

Robinson was a monster. A physical specimen for all to see. He was ripped and when he slammed the ball with two hands, elbows out, you could tell. I loved how the lefty played. He was hard nosed and would work for his points off the glass. The fact that he went to Navy always surprised me, but he certainly put their basketball program on the map for eternity. When he teamed up with Tim Duncan, we all knew San Antonio was going to dominate. They were another historic tandem to watch.

Last night, the Steelers and Titans put on a good show. I knew if Pittsburgh got the ball first they'd win. Big Ben was slicing through the Titans swiss cheese secondary. A great start to the NFL schedule.

There are some big games this weekend in case you live under a rock.

USC is coming to Columbus to take on THE Ohio State University. A freshman QB for USC under the lights at the Shoe might help the Bucks come out of this one victorious.

A big game in the NFL to start the season. The league's longest standing rivalry, Green Bay vs. Chicago. 5 words. The Bears are going down. Go Pack Go.
Help Packers LB Nick Barnett find his dog. It's lost as he reports on Twitter. Please, no Vick jokes.

I'm a big jersey nerd. Paul Lukas is somewhat of a hero to me. He writes about the new things we'll be seeing in the NFL. I can spend a couple hours reading and clicking on these links, like I said, I'm a jersey nerd.

If I'm Richard Seymour, I report to the Raiders, don't move my family just yet, play a couple games to see how Oakland is and the second he feels like he's literally going into a black hole, I'd retire and return to New England. It would suck to go to Al Davis' team. It looks like if he were to hold out Oakland could ask for their 1st round pick back.

Dan Patrick and The Danettes predict the NFL season

Mike DeCourcey says Patterson will be First Team All-American. I hope so.

And last, but not least. The greatest spectacle in sports will take place this weekend. The Greater Eten Open. It's golf at it's finest.

Have a good weekend and as Father Tony says, don't be stupid.

Alaa Abdelnaby

2009-08-25T09:41:00.004-04:00

It's been a while so I thought I'd make it a hard one. A lot to catch up on.

If you're a Packers fan and want to vomit, check out these pictures.

The Bengals had a cover story on ESPN yesterday, it wasn't for being good. It's depressing.

Remember this guy Bengals fans. This is the cover of SI back in 1991.

Michael Beasley is in rehab. I'm pulling for him.

Dirk Nowitzki sure knows how to pick 'em. Ex gets 5 years.

This is just too weird. I threatened to burn my Favre stuff, but leave goats out of this.

QB battles are fun. Shaun Hill got the 49ers gig.

Turn an unassisted triple play, get into Cooperstown. That's all there is to it.

As an avid Oklahoma City Thunder fan, sort of, I like seeing this from Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.

If Shaq did steal Steve Nash's idea for "Shaq vs." shame on him. To be honest though, I think Shaq is 10 times funnier than Nash would be. Episode 1 with Big Ben was excellent.

Pete Rose Jr. says, let my dad in the Hall of Fame. The day Pete goes in the Hall I will be there because I'm a Reds fan and he is the greatest Reds player of all time. Represent.

Kentucky Sports Radio is 4 years old, they decide to post this video. Of a former classmate of mine at ole NKU.

UK meets its first victim on 11/02/09. I'm so excited. Basketball.

The football team (UK) starts on 9/5 at Paul Brown Stadium against Miami.

Get a funny cartoon shirt poking fun at Brett Favre by Joe Heller.

I have something in common with White Sox P Matt Thornton. We like Chipotle.

Have a good Tuesday.

J.R. Rider

2009-08-14T10:57:00.004-04:00

In recognition of Michael Vick getting signed by the Eagles. Here's a former NBA player who had his share of run ins with the law. To bad, because I had a sweet Classic clear insert card of J.R. Rider I thought for sure would get me hundreds of dollars down the road.

As I led off, Michael Vick will be stashed away on the Philadelphia Eagles bench for the first 6 weeks of the season.
More ridicule of the Bengals will come because of this report.

Get well soon Landon Donovan.

Today's edition of doing the right thing: Cubs fan turns himself in after pouring beer on Shane Victorino.

Wow, the person who stitched this jersey must have been thinking about a great NFL RB.

Q-Tip has been turned like a knob this offseason. Will Miami be his last stop?

Jonny Gomes, Jonny Gomes, Jonny Gomes hit three bombs last night.

Volquez on the mend.

You want the latest Northern Kentucky High School Football News go here, and here.

B.J. Raji is close to signing with the Packers. Reportedly a 5-year deal worth $28.5 million.

Have a good weekend!

Jeff Ruland

2009-08-13T11:27:00.003-04:00

Jeff Ruland, 6'11, 280 lbs, out of Iona. Remember that, we'll have a pop quiz later.

Sadly, Ruland was an oft-injured player.

Speaking of oft-injured players, Ryan Torain, a once highly touted RB in Denver has been cut by the McDaniels regime.

Didn't get to this yesterday, but Rick Pitino just dropped off my "well respected people" list with the latest news. Real slick Rick. Real slick.

You. Me. And Madden '10 tonight?

Thanks Youk. You just had to go after the pitcher and get suspended. I thought I could count on you.

Today's edition of the right thing to do: Stallworth suspended for the year. Without pay!

The Kid does it again.
If you live in Seattle go see these wieners.

Bronson Arroyo is opening his mouth. Why?

This was one of those stories that peaked my curiosity. A 48-year old skateboarding legend dies, I ask myself, How? Well, sadly, here's the scoop. That's a tough one.

Let's admire the Pittsburgh Pirates for once. I can kind of buy into what this he's saying.

Scoop Jackson writes for ESPN Page 2. I like him. We go back into his SLAM days. He writes about cool shirts in this article.

I knew this guy was going to be a bad pick for the Packers. He's hurt again.

I loved Jay-Z's version of "Hard Knock Life" when I was in HS. I think of this song every time I think of the Bengals being on "Hard Knocks", the first episode aired last night on HBO.

C. Trent Rosecrans' review

Shutdown Corner's review. Who didn't see the reference to Bengals being arrested coming...

Former Bengal John Thornton's review

I learn something new everyday...today I learned that in Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Cam is saying "swing, batter, batter, swiiiing batter" he follows it up with "he can't hit, he can't hit, he can't hit" NOT "Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy"

Now that you are smarter for visiting my blog, I bid you adieu.

Rafael Addison

2009-08-11T08:56:00.006-04:00

It's just another beautiful day in the neighborhood. And now, here's the news.

I mentioned last week how DeShawn Wynn was fighting for more playing time. Well, I might have jinxed him. He injured his knee. I hope he has a speedy recovery.

Forget the bike, I'm taking the scooter.

Here's 15 Freshman SI believes may have an impact this season. Rutgers QB Tom Savage is one of them.

Best and worse case scenarios for UK Basketball by KSR.

Johnny Cueto goes out early with injury, Reds lose to Cards.

Tiger's gonna get fined for those comments. That'll take a few $100 bills out of his wallet.

One of my favorite players hit his 400th HR last night. That man is Vladimir Guerrero. He had 2 last night. He's getting older, but when he played for the Expos I always enjoyed going to watch him play in right and swing the bat without batting gloves.

Troy Tulowitzki hits the cycle last night. That's gotta be fun to do.

Dolphins players aren't showing up at camp.

Linus Kleiza says so long to the States, he's going to Greece, along with Von Wafer.

Durant, Mo Williams, AI9 and Rashard Lewis' Nike video. Excellent stuff.

Classic. Greg Paulus got posterized and VT makes it a part of their new practice facility.

A sad day for country music fans. They are no longer Brooks & Dunn. Just Brooks. Just Dunn.

And now a video tribute...Hillbilly Deluxe.

Miley Cyrus teaches teens across the world how to pole dance at the Teen Choice Awards. I thought she was a wholesome character.

Cheerio!

Lucious Harris

2009-08-10T09:33:00.003-04:00

Only my brother will know where this cat went to college.

I found some interesting stuff this morning while browsing.

Notably, Carson and Jordan Palmer helped develop the app http://www.runpee.com/. I'm impressed.

Peter King also offered up this gem on Dick LeBeau. LeBeau did not succeed as a head coach, going 12-36 in three seasons with the Bengals when he finally got his chance to run a team. But I can tell, having been around that team a lot over the years, that Vince Lombardi could have coached them with Bill Walsh his offensive coordinator and Bill Belichick on the defensive side, and it'd still have been a disaster. A lot of people think LeBeau belongs in the Hall of Fame, I think that he's due after 51 seasons in the league.

Check out the busts from the Hall of Fame ceremony.

NBA Rookie Photoshoot.

Aaron Harang won yesterday. Let's just say it's been a while since he has.

Lucky No. 7 for Tiger at Bridgestone.

John Wall dunks on Jerry Stackhouse. Yeah, he's a Kentucky Wildcat.

Umps in baseball are ridiculous.

G'day now.

Bobby Phills

2009-08-07T14:39:00.002-04:00

It's Friday. Here's what I got for you today.

I'm disappointed Hal McCoy will not be covering the Reds anymore. It's a sad day to be a Reds fan.

Hal will make his last trip to San Francisco this weekend where the Reds take on one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. Tonight it's Bailey vs. Lincecum. It's gonna be a bloodbath if "The Freak" is on tonight. By the way, his middle name is LeRoy. Interesting.

FIU Basketball gets a big fish.

LeBron James speaks!

Good for Nationals' Josh Willingham. No hip bumping.

Go inside Team USA Basketball camp with this video.

This guy has a lot of jerseys and he raps about it.

Scott Rolen needs some new batting gloves. He's got his old #27 back.

I'd probably spend a lot of money at this convention. As you can tell I love Paul Lukas' UniWatch Blog and column.

Pete Rose made checks out to "CASH". See picture.

I have this shirt he talks about. It was given out when they played the "Celebrity Softball Game" at the Farewell to Riverfront Stadium, in which I attended. Good times.

Speaking of farewell, I'm finished. Have a good weekend.

Chris Gatling

2009-08-06T13:15:00.007-04:00

Happy Thursday. I'm happy to say the ban has ended for the Cincinnati Reds. They can be mentioned in my blogspace now.

The Reds won last night, not only did they win, Justin Lehr did the impossible, throwing a complete game shut out against the dreaded Baby Bears. This prompted the inevitable nickname of "King Lehr" being bestowed upon him. I saw it coming.

Scott Rolen also hit his first HR as a Red. I hope there is more where that came from.

I won't be watching ESPN the rest of the week. The Yankees are playing the Red Sox. Instead I'll watch reruns of Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel.

The economy is bad. The Indians are feeling it. Ouch.

The right thing to do despite a bad situation. The Titans are going to honor Air McNair with #9.

Jermaine O'Neal gets dunked on a lot. I mean a lot.

C. Trent Rosecrans' blog gets a daily visit from me. If you don't visit now, here's what he offers.

Like a lot of NFL 1st Round picks, B.J. Raji doesn't have a deal yet with the Packers.

DeShawn Wynn took some time to sign some autographs for fans at Packers camp. He's grew up in the 'Nati. If he has a good camp, he could see some good time this season.

We made fun of this guy all the time. Kurt Rambis looks to be Minnesota's new coach.

Not sure why, but this movie looks like it's going to be hilarious.

Carry on about your day now.

Robert Pack

2009-08-04T14:18:00.006-04:00

I read Mo Egger's blog everyday. He was clever enough to name his posts after random baseball players. I'm not very clever, but I ripped off his idea and will start using random basketball players names since that is my forte. Thanks Mo. I think you would be proud of me.

Is it me or should Plaxico Burress just go do his jail time and stop trying to get out of it? His buddy, Antonio Pierce, won't be his cell mate.

I wasn't going to post any Packers news, but here's the latest Michael Vick headline. As I said on Friday, not interested. Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn are just fine with me.

I watched some of the Cubs game last night on ESPN. It's too bad the other team decided to come back at the end of the game. They lost 4-2. The team's name who played the Cubs has been suspended until they break their losing streak of 7 games. They'll get a chance tonight, weather permitting.

I'm upset my boy, E-Vol (his stuff is evil, get it, nevermind) is gonna be out for 12 months after Tommy John surgery.

NBA Game to watch this year. I think The Mothership's Chris Sheridan is serious about this. OKC has a great core of young guys, but not much otherwise. Nov. 22: Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers DVR alert. If we are correct in our above reference to the Thunder being a sleeper team, this will be one to watch: Kevin Durant versus Kobe (unless Scott Brooks makes the unwise decision to let bearded rookie James Harden check No. 24).

Still don't understand why OKC went with Thunder. It doesn't jive well.

My favorite NBA player based on the fact that his name closely resembles a branch of my family tree. Etan Thomas. OKC just picked him up and he thinks this coming season will be fun.

Wanna see some sweet photos of blocked shots? Go here. I like Chris "Birdman" Andersen's.

You can't ban Megan Fox from the internet. Just can't.

No link, but I think it's semi-funny to think that Tiger Woods farted on the course. It's not something to go on and on about though.

I love lists, here's the baseball bucket list by Jim Caple. It's pretty solid.

I'm a culprit of this. I was rooting for Aramis Ramirez over the weekend.

Thoughts and prayers with the people getting hit with floods in the Midwest, especially that other city in Kentucky, Louisville.

I hope your stay was pleasant.

Sports Hot Potato

2009-07-31T09:13:00.010-04:00

I took a break for a while, but I felt like posting some stuff today. I've got baseball trade deadline and football training camp on the brain to name a few. Let's get started.

Today @ 5PM is the trade deadline for MLB, the man of the hour is Roy Halladay, who's going to end up with him? It looks like the Rangers will not be enjoying the luxury of having the ace on their team.
Most likely Victor Martinez is going to get traded, perhaps to the Mets or Red Sox.
This just in, the Cincinnati Reds are not sellers. (Right, Bob)
Moving on, it looks like one team knows how to sign their first round OL. Jason Smith has a deal with the Rams.
In Packers news, they've signed Clay Matthews Jr., next up B.J. Raji.
I've mentioned this before, but before I die, I'm going to Packers Training Camp it starts tomorrow for The Pack.
Chad Ochocinco's latest Tweet, "Wake up world, Estaban headed to the weightroom!". If you like this type of nonsense here is a sweet site to see all of the athlete's tweets.
HBO has invaded Georgetown. Hard Knocks debuts August 12th.
Even if I needed a QB, I don't think I'd go after Michael Vick.
I really feel bad for Erin Andrews. What happened to her is terrible. She's got a-holes following her now.
Not bad. Rivals.com has Terrelle Pryor #56 in their Top 100.
The NBA has been busy during Free Agency so far. The latest signing. Lamar Odom is still a Laker. The Rhode Island standout is a rich man.
You want the most up to date list on Free Agents? Go here.
It looks like Kevin Durant made a statement at the Team USA Camp in Vegas. He's a superstar in the making.
Tim McCarver says no. Free Peter Edward Rose. Let him in and he'll stop invading the spotlight.
One of the best radio shows on these days is Dan Patrick, go take a listen and become a member of Dan Nation. I did.

Have a good weekend!

Michael Jackson "Man in the Mirror"

2009-06-29T12:46:00.001-04:00

Weird dude, but a great artist. This is an awesome song.

Ice Cream Man

2009-06-24T00:32:00.001-04:00

Wow. Who's kid is that?

Aaron Shutway makes a crazy basket!!!!

2009-06-24T00:29:00.001-04:00

Amazing.

We Like Sportz

2009-06-23T15:58:00.001-04:00

Celtics Dangling Trade Bait

2009-06-23T11:34:00.002-04:00

Rondo and Allen...

Kid Cudi - Day And Night

2009-06-23T11:25:00.001-04:00

Song of the Day...love the instrumental.

Weekend Blurbs

2009-06-22T14:24:00.005-04:00

The last week and weekend was busy. I probably hurt one person's feelings by not posting anything. Here's my thoughts from the weekend.

I have an awesome Dad. It's funny, but I was remembering all the road trips the family has been on over the years and I couldn't imagine doing that sometimes. A road trip out west for two weeks with 4 young kids, that equals a lot of complaining, but my parents did it anyway and we have some amazing memories because of it.

Friday, June 19th was Lou Gehrig's birthday and it also was on this day at age 36 he was given the diagnosis by the Mayo Clinic of having ALS. Lou wrote this letter to his wife, Eleanor shortly after. "The bad news is lateral sclerosis, in our language chronic infantile paralysis. There isn't any cure... there are very few of these cases. It is probably caused by some germ...Never heard of transmitting it to mates... There is a 50-50 chance of keeping me as I am. I may need a cane in 10 or 15 years. Playing is out of the question..."

The Reds looked sharp on Saturday for the Civil Rights Game. I always enjoy a good throwback jersey.
Bill Cosby was there too and he's one of my favorites, credit my Dad for that.

I think changing the oil on a 1996 Corrolla is easier than changing it on a 2002 Corrolla, does that make sense? Shouldn't the engineers who design cars be making this easier? Then again I'm not the most mechanically inclined.

The U.S. Men's Soccer team got lucky after Italy got smoked by Brazil 3-0. It might not be pretty against Spain.

I still don't know how I can watch one game (Brazil vs. Italy) and miss every single goal because I switched the channel to watch the U.S.

The Reds can't make it any further without Votto, Volquez, and Edwin. Votto mostly.

Thanks to my wife I have been watching more golf and I actually care about it now.

I saw the story on ESPN over the weekend on the late Payne Stewart and his son Aaron, who 10 years later is playing golf for SMU like his Dad, very cool.

I can't wait to watch the draft on Thursday to see the Knicks blow another Top Ten pick.

Are You A "Get In The Hole Guy"?

2009-06-22T14:14:00.009-04:00

Dan is not a fan of shouting things out. Paulie wanted to punch guys on Saturday when we were at the U.S. Open. The worst is when fans yell "get in the hole" on a tee shot of a par-five.

All I have to say to those three sentences is 'amen'. It's extremly annoying. I don't watch much golf, but I could seriously do without the shouts from the crowd or that whispering woman, whoever the hell she is on NBC's coverage.

Tiger lost. Phil lost. I guess that means it's a bad day for golf. Lucas Glover is your U.S. Open Champion.

How bad will USA vs. Italy be today?

2009-06-15T10:06:00.001-04:00

I'm thinking 4- nil or something like that.

Reds Gravel At Royals' Feet

2009-06-15T09:56:00.004-04:00

The Reds got swept by the Royals over the weekend. O, Happy Day. Now it's back to .500 baseball, but there's still 100 games to go, we should be hopeful, right? It's the Atlanta Braves and the White Sox up next.

Phil "X" and the Lakers Get 15th Title

2009-06-15T09:42:00.003-04:00

The Lakers are your 2009 NBA Champions. Don't be too excited, the Oklahoma City Thunder could have defeated the Magic after the way they played last night. The series will be remembered more for the Magic losing two pivotal games in OT. Two games that should have been theirs, but the Lakers won it all, yay, Kobe gets his fourth, Phil gets his "X" and Adam Morrison gets his first. Congrats.

Lakers fans win nothing, but damage a police car and start fires. You go L.A. fans, represent.

Phil Jackson had this to say surpassing Red Auerbach with more rings as a coach, "I'll smoke a cigar in honor of Red,'' Jackson said. "He was a great guy.''

Kobe Bryant is your MVP of the Finals and rightfully so, hate to say it, but he's a damn good player.

Derek Fisher Punches The Magic's Mouth

2009-06-12T11:43:00.005-04:00

As God is my witness, how in the world does Orlando let Derek Fisher shoot the three at the end of the game to tie it up? How does that happen? Inexcusable. Foul, get them off the perimeter, do something to disrupt the Lakers from getting an open three.

The Magic lost the game. They handed it to the Lakers and the Lakers took it gladly.

This series could easily be Magic up 3-1. I am still baffled at Jameer Nelson and how he let Derek Fisher lift off for that shot. He wasn't even near him, he was playing back. Needless to say I am extremely disappointed in how the Magic finished the game last night.

The Magic missed too many free throws and screwed up the last possession by not taking their time on the final shot of regulation. Can you notice the lack of experience? They had another time out to sort through things. Good gosh, if they lose Game 5 because of this same stuff I will be furious.

I thought it was a punk move by Gasol at the end of the game to throw it down. The game was over. Hold the ball and hand it to the referee. I don't fault Pietrus for being mad at him and giving him a nice push. I would say the same if it was the other way around. Don't dunk it Caveman, you just barely won a game you never should have.

Ranking The MLB Draft Over The Years

2009-06-09T12:53:00.002-04:00

Lowdown: No team has debuted less big-league talent over the last 10 drafts, but top picks Drew Stubbs ('06), Todd Frazier ('07) and Yonder Alonzo ('08) should help soon.

It's looking pretty promising for the Reds. The guys mentioned above should provide a big boost to the lineup when the time comes, but as we all know guys who are on the Reds could be elsewhere by then too.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-06-09T11:24:00.003-04:00

I watched Slumdog Millionaire last night for the first time and I thought it was fantastic. It moved quick and it was pretty intense from the first minute. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out. It is worth the two hours. I was very interested in the plot and the setting in India definitely intensifies it even more. I felt the director really captured the poverty of India and made it real to the viewer. It was very well done and the acting is very good, even by the young actors.

I give it two thumbs up for what that's worth.

MLB Draft Today

2009-06-09T11:09:00.007-04:00

The MLB Draft is tonight and your #1 is 99.9% going to be Steven Strasburg from SDSU. We have been informed time after time his agent is Scott Boras, who is notorious for getting his clients paid. The Nationals will have to give him big money most likely, something that some are saying isn't going to happen.

We don't care about the Nats though, they suck.

The Reds are slotted in this mock draft to get Tanner Scheppers, a 6'4, 200lbs, RHP, from Fresno State.

Here's his bio with video on MiLB.com

Northern Kentucky's own Luke Maile could be going in the draft writes Ryan Ernst.

Punch-Out Is Back

2009-06-08T11:51:00.000-04:00

A good review from SI's FanNation.

Players who grew up playing Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! have a built-in advantage with the Wii version. So many details from that 1987 classic have been retained here, from opponents' "tells" to their Achilles' heels. (You can even press the select button in between rounds for a quick one-time energy boost.) Younger gamers with little or no investment in the game's nostalgic aspects may find the arcade-style controls simplistic. But folks with a fondness for old-school video games and a sentimental spot for the original Tyson game -- which was as close to a universal favorite as you'll find -- will find Punch-Out!! to be one of the most addictive releases in the Wii's brief history.

The Gillette Men Are Unstoppable

2009-06-08T11:28:00.005-04:00

Oh, how Roger Federer savored every moment with his first French Open trophy.

He raised it overhead. He cradled it in the crook of his elbow. He closed his eyes and kissed it. He examined the names of other champions etched on its base. Even in a downpour on Court Philippe Chatrier, as heavy, gray clouds blocked any shred of sunlight Sunday, that silver trophy sure seemed to glisten.

His face is smooth and his game is even smoother. Federer proved this weekend why he is the best ever, even Pete Sampras says so.

Tiger came back and won the Memorial. Again, smooth face, smoother game. Great comeback.

In other Gillette Men news, the Yankees won, but Derek Jeter was 0-4, sorry Derek.

Courtney Lee's Bad Day Continues

2009-06-08T11:23:00.001-04:00

Western Kentucky grad Courtney Lee is the name of the hour in sports talk radio. He's been talked about on ESPN radio more in the last four hours than he has been in the last four years.

No Finals Magic For Orlando

2009-06-08T10:59:00.005-04:00

Game 1 100-75 LAL 1-0
Game 2 101-96 OT LAL 2-0

"It was a good play, it was a good pass,'' said Lee, the rookie guard of the Orlando Magic. "Coach did a good job of drawing up the right play.''
Six-tenths of one second had remained in regulation of Game 2 when Hedo Turkoglu lobbed an inbounds pass to Lee breaking to the basket.
"I caught it, got a good look at the backboard,'' Lee said. "I tried to get it up there as quick as possible.''

Orlando is having a rough time trying to win their first Finals game in franchise history. If there was a game ripe for the taking it was last night's, where the Magic had the Lakers down the stretch, but two costly possessions ended their chance of winning the game. Those possessions came late in the game when rookie, Courtney Lee, missed a lay-up and a perfect alley-oop lay-in to win at the buzzer. Lee has played well leading up to the Finals, but these two plays will unfairly make him a "choke artist".

The Lakers are proving to be the superior team. Despite not wanting the Lakers to win, it's hard not to appreciate the "gamer" attitude the players on their team possess. At one point Kobe bumped chests with Trevor Ariza and had this "we're gonna win this game dammit" look on his face. He was all business. He's always all business when it comes to the playoffs. It's a champion's attitude and the Lakers have it right now. After blowing out the Magic in Game 1, the Lakers squeaked by in Game 2, now they'll move on to Orlando where the Magic hope to even up the best of 7 series.

John Wall Hoopmixtape

2009-06-05T17:21:00.001-04:00

Holy crap.

MLB All-Star Game: My Ballot

2009-06-04T15:45:00.004-04:00

American League

1B Carlos Pena, TB
2B Ian Kinsler, TEX
3B Evan Longoria, TB
SS Marcos Scutaro, TOR
C Joe Mauer, MIN
OF Nelson Cruz, TEX
OF Torii Hunter, LAA
OF Ichiro, SEA

National League

1B Adrian Gonzalez, SD
2B Brandon Phillips, CIN
3B Ryan Zimmerman, WAS
SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA
C Ramon Hernandez, CIN
OF Brad Hawpe, COL
OF Raul Ibanez
OF Justin Upton

AJ Hawk Is Hairy

2009-06-04T13:27:00.004-04:00

Eat your heart out ladies...

Want Channing Frye to Twitter?

2009-06-04T12:45:00.002-04:00

Frye needs 26,000 people to vote in order for him to start using Twitter. I discovered Frye's blog a while back and its always pretty intriguing. I bet he'd have some cool stuff to Twitter about, so I voted yes, despite the fact it bothers me this 140 letter status update is everywhere now.

NBA Finals Preview

2009-06-04T12:29:00.005-04:00

Key Matchup

SG: Kobe Bryant Bryant is the most dangerous offensive player in the world, but the Lakers are best when the ball keeps moving.

SG: Courtney Lee Lee doesn't play like a rookie. He doesn't make many mistakes, is a solid defender and he's hit some big shots in big moments all season long.

The Finals tip-off tonight. I'll be watching and rooting for Orlando, the underdog of course. I'm looking forward to watching Howard, Turkoglu, Lee, Lewis, and maybe even Jameer Nelson take down the Lakers.

Orlando wins the series in 7. This is what I want.

L.A. wins the series in 5. This is what probably will happen.

Toy Story 3

2009-06-02T23:52:00.001-04:00

I didn't know about this, but sweet!

The Curious Case of Joey Votto

2009-06-01T15:31:00.003-04:00

Joey Votto was gone, his stuff cleared out of his locker after the Cincinnati Reds put him on the disabled list with stress-related issues, and manager Dusty Baker called for a clubhouse freshen-the-air meeting early Saturday afternoon, May 30.

Let's not dig in too deep on Votto. We shouldn't jump to conclusions on what his situation is. As a fan I will wait to hear the facts if they ever come out. I will not speculate or criticize like some "fans" will do.

So It's Lakers vs. Magic

2009-06-01T15:08:00.006-04:00

Game 6- Cleveland vs. Orlando Recap

Game 6- Denver vs. L.A. Recap

I didn't see this happening. I thought it was Denver and Cleveland's time. I guess I was extremely wrong. I'll still watch Lakers vs. Magic and I think it will be a good series. The best thing we can hope for is at least 6 games. I don't want a sweep, unless it is L.A. getting swept.

I think Orlando matches up well with L.A. and it should be interesting to see if Gasol can stop Dwight Howard. Also, who will end up guarding Kobe full time. Is it Pietrus, Lewis, or Turkoglu? It could even be Courtney Lee, which Rich Bozich talks about.

It was a good run by Denver and Cleveland. I'm not looking into LeBron leaving the game after defeat and not giving a press conference. He was upset, his team lost, he didn't want to face it. I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing. Call me a coward, it happens, whether you are The King or not.

FINALS PREVIEW

Baseball Has A Chewing Problem

2009-05-29T16:06:00.003-04:00

There are countless, tragic tales of ex-ballplayers who suffered unkind, tobacco-related fates. The most famous of all is probably Babe Ruth, a frequent tobacco chewer, who died at age 52 from complications caused by a cancerous tumor in his throat.

Read more: "Majors to chew it over as big-league tobacco policy isn't up to snuff" - http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2009/05/27/2009-05-27_major_leagues_to_chew_over_chewing_tobacco_policy.html?page=0#ixzz0GvbI7mSt&A

Driver Wants More Greenbacks

2009-05-29T14:11:00.004-04:00

Driver, 34, has two years left on his contract and is due to be paid base salaries of $3.9 million this season and $4 million next season. The report said this is the fourth straight year that Driver has approached the team about reworking his contract. Driver’s agent, Jordan Woy, did not return messages.

Safety Nick Collins is asking for a new contract as well. However, Collins missed OTAs because he father passed away a couple weeks ago most likely. I'm not upset over Collins' missing OTAs because of his situation, but I'm a little mad at Driver. I didn't think he'd be like that at this point in his career. I understand it's about getting what they can get while they can get it.

The King Says Thank You Very Much

2009-05-29T13:55:00.007-04:00

Game 5

What a performance last night by LeBron James! He single handedly defeated the Orlando Magic being part of 32 straight points last night. Sadly, LeBron showed last night why the Cavaliers might not even win a title with him. He doesn't have anyone consistent beside him to help with the load. The Magic have at least three solid guys to depend on, Hedo, Dwight, and Rashard Lewis. The series goes back to Orlando on Saturday night, the Cavs down 3-2. I'll stick with my original thought from the post below and say the Cavs win to send it back to Cleveland.

What LeBron did last night was just unbelievable, it made me think of all the games I watched with Michael Jordan back in the day. God I hated Jordan being a Ewing fan and all, but I am a fan of LeBron James. Typically I don't like the player everyone else likes, but you can't help yourself sometimes.

Sweepin' The 'Stros

2009-05-28T10:47:00.004-04:00

The Reds swept the Astros last night and extended their winning streak to 4 games. Bronson Arroyo is leading the NL now with 7 wins, despite having a high ERA, but W's are most important and last night he was awesome 9.0 innings pitched, 1 ER. Jay Bruce and Joey Votto are quickly becoming household names in the 'Nati and we are loving our Reds so far this year.

91 games is not out of reach at this point.

NBA Players Need Fashion Advice

2009-05-28T10:37:00.003-04:00

The most shocking of all is Robert Swift of the OKC Thunder. Here is a picture of Robert before and after. A big difference, no. If I'm late on Robert Swift becoming bushy haired and inked up, I apologize, I hadn't heard or seen him since he was drafted and sat the bench for the Sonics. He and Birdman have the same tattoo artist I bet.

I Don't Agree With This Guy

2009-05-28T10:26:00.002-04:00

I'm not a big fan of Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mike Breen.

I like Mike Breen as a play-by-play man though.

Odom Takes It To Andersen-Nuggets

2009-05-28T10:16:00.004-04:00

Game 5

As you can see in the picture, Lamar Odom took it to the hole last night and hard at that. Odom had one of his best games in the Playoffs scoring 19 points, 2 of those on this slam. The Lakers were forceful on the Nuggets last night. It took the whole team to get the win and capture the advantage going into Denver on Friday night. Pau Gasol played well, Bynum showed up, Odom played like he used to when he was a one-man-band on the Clippers, Shannon Brown had a couple huge plays, and Kobe, was Kobe.

On the other hand, Billups was not Billups, Melo not Melo, etc.

Magic Look To Close It Tonight

2009-05-28T10:08:00.007-04:00

Tuesday night's game was another barnburner. LeBron was his usual self scoring 44, but the man of the match was Rashard Lewis, who assisted Dwight Howard by hitting many key jump shots. Unfortunately, it resulted in a loss for the Cavs, and more importantly Orlando has a 3-1 advantage in the series.

Game 4

I have a feeling the Magic will close it out the series tonight. I don't doubt LeBron at home, but Orlando has to do it tonight if they want to go to the Finals. If Cleveland wins, I think they'll take the momentum and win in 7.

NBA Western Conference Finals Weekend Recap

2009-05-26T10:47:00.004-04:00

While the Eastern Conference Final is heating up, the Western Final is definitely serving up what will be a fantastic finale. Denver is running head on with the Lakers and it doesn't look like the Rocky Mountain Marauders are finished yet.

Let's get to some Nuggets/Lakers action...

Game 3

It was another hard fought game in Denver as the Lakers came up with a key steal, courtesy of Trevor Ariza, late in the game. Kobe was Kobe and iced it with his free throws to add to his growing number of "closing" performances. Pau Gasol also helped out the Lakers with his around the basket ball hawking skills.

Game 4

Not quite a thriller, but throughout the game I found myself asking, "when are the Lakers going to come back". It didn't happen. The help of Chris Andersen on the glass, 14 rebounds, and J.R. Smith 24 points allowed the Nuggets to win this game to tie up the series at two a piece. Smith provided much needed offense and picked up where Carmelo Anthony left off from the games previous. Smith hit a couple clutch three pointers down the stretch and had a nice driving dunk in the fourth quarter. J.R. might be a "thug", but last night he was a "thug" who played like a stud.

NBA Eastern Conference Weekend Recap

2009-05-26T10:30:00.006-04:00

I hope everyone had a great extended weekend. It was one filled with a lot of basketball drama and I was a witness to most of it.

We'll go to the Cavaliers/Magic first.

Game 2

Friday night's game will go down in "amazing" NBA history. It was March Madness like. Cavaliers down 2 after a great shot by Hedo Turkoglu. We know who's going to get the last shot of the game. LeBron "King" James. James catches, shoots, and you guessed it, scores. An awesome shot and a needed series tying win for the men from Cleveland.

Game 3

In a game where 86 free throws were attempted, Dwight Howard shot 19 of them, the Magic came out victorious in non-buzzer beater fashion to go up 2-1 on the Cavaliers. People are now changing their minds about this Magic team. It's about time. The Magic can definitely upset King James' squad.

Game 4 is tonight in Orlando. This will be a huge game for the Cavs, obviously if the Magic win this game I'd look for them to win the series. It is tough to come back down 3-1 in a Conference Final series. The Cavs know this and will be sure to bring it tonight.

Linus Kleiza Helps Nuggets Win Game Two

2009-05-22T11:06:00.007-04:00

Last night's game was excellent. The beginning was frustrating, well, for someone rooting for Denver. They were frustrating to watch. They weren't getting back on defense, giving up easy baskets to Andrew Bynum, not boxing out, Gasol was tearing it up on the offensive boards.

The second half got better. Denver kept playing and never folded. Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and Linus Kleiza were big down the stretch. Kleiza hit some key three pointers (4-7) and I think his contribution (16 points, 8 rebounds) was the x-factor for the Nuggets. You won't hear about Kleiza much today, but I thought his shooting performance was key.

The series is tied 1-1. Denver stole the game away from the Lakers last night.

LeBron Did The Right Thing

2009-05-21T10:51:00.003-04:00

TNT's Ernie Johnson joined the Dan Patrick Show to break down the NBA playoffs.

-- Johnson doesn't think LeBron James was too unselfish at the end of the Cavs-Magic game last night. Johnson thought that he did the right thing passing it out.

The NFL Has a Problem

2009-05-21T10:46:00.004-04:00

The problem is undeniable: Tracking arrests involving NFL players since 2000, a study by the San Diego Union-Tribune published last month found that 28 percent of the incidents – by far the highest percentage – were related to drunken driving. At least 73 players on NFL rosters during the 2008 season have been arrested on charges of driving under the influence, according to a search of published reports by Yahoo! Sports.

This is something I won't ever understand. I won't go on a soapbox because I'm sure you all have the same ideas floating around in your head. You're rich, get a cab. That's all I have to say about that. Spare innocent bystanders lives and don't drink and drive you dum dums.

Phenomenal High School Athlete, Luke Maile

2009-05-21T10:29:00.003-04:00

Covington Catholic catcher Luke Maile hit three home runs and drove in eight RBI in a 10-0 victory over Beechwood in the 35th District final.

"I’ve had about two straight weeks of not being able to put the barrel of the bat on the ball. I’ve just gone back to basics," Maile said. "I hit the first one out and that felt pretty good. The next time up the same thing happened. The third time up I was pretty sure I was going to hit one out. I was kind of locked in. It was just one of those days."

Maile has impressed me ever since he was a freshman. I hope he does well at UK, probably one of the best athletes I've ever seen in Northern Kentucky.

My Take on LeBron vs. Kobe

2009-05-21T09:40:00.006-04:00

It's all over the place. LeBron vs. Kobe. Vitamin Water is doing an ad campaign with the slogan. They're on the cover of SLAM for July with a split cover. They're being talked about on every major sports network too.

Jerry "The Logo" West made this comment: “If I had to have somebody make a last-second shot, it would be Kobe Bryant,” said West, architect of the great Lakers teams from Magic Johnson years in the 1980s through the Shaquille O’Neal clubs of the early 2000s.
“But even though it’s hard for me to be objective, because I brought Kobe to Los Angeles, I do think LeBron has surpassed Kobe as a player.”

West is dead on. I agree with him 100%. I'm not a big Bryant fan, but he is hands down the better clutch MVP. LeBron is great and I think he will go down as the greatest to ever play the game in my era, Jordan is included in this, but Kobe has shown he is a winner and when the game is on the line Bryant delivers.

LeBron's Game 1 performance

41 mins, 49 PTS, 20-30 FGM-A, 3-6 3PM-A, 6 REB, 8 AST, 2 STL, 3 BLK, 2 TO

A perfect example is from last night. You probably will hear the talking heads on all of the sports shows talk about this today. The Cavs down by one with one possession remaining. LeBron drives to the basket, passes up the shot, and gives it to Delonte West on the sideline for three. West shoots, misses, LeBron is able to get a jump ball in the scramble for the rebound. LeBron gets the jump ball to Mo Williams with one second, Williams shot, just misses, buzzer, game over, Magic win Game 1 in Cleveland. LeBron's team loses.

Kobe's Game 1 Performance

43 mins, 40 PTS, 13-28 FGM-A, 12-13 FTM-A, 2-3 3PM-A, 6 REB, 4 AST, 1 BLK, 1 TO

An example from Game 1 Monday night. Lakers fighting toe to toe with Denver. Kobe takes the Lakers down the stretch and gets to the free throw line and hits his free throws. Yes, Ariza got a big steal and J.R. Smith missed his free throw for Denver, but Kobe took his team on his shoulders and closed the game out. Lakers win Game 1. Kobe's team wins.

Iwebema Thankful For X-Ray

2009-05-21T08:31:00.003-04:00

A subsequent CAT scan and PET scan revealed a mass the size of a baseball. Startled, doctors grabbed his chest X-rays from 14 months earlier, when he had been drafted in the fourth round by the Cardinals, and saw nothing. The tumor had metastasized at an alarming rate in just more than a year.

I Love Bayside (Saved By The Bell) - I Love College Parody

2009-05-19T16:15:00.001-04:00

I'm liking all of these parodies of Asher Roth's "I Love College".

I love brick phones...

Oops, We Have A Scheduling Problem

2009-05-19T15:55:00.005-04:00

This is pretty humorous. Denver didn't think they'd be in the Playoffs this deep? What were they thinking? No, I think it'd be tough to schedule events a month after the regular season ends. I'm guessing you don't schedule a Monday Night Raw type of event, but the Nuggets did and they have a few more days to figure out who they want to piss off, NBA fans, or WWE fans who've bought tickets.

Vince wants a cage match fight with Denver's GM. Sure Vince.

Update: Problem has been resolved without bloodshed. Denver will play Monday night and WWE will move to L.A., nice work gentleman.

Bouncing Off The Wall

2009-05-19T15:50:00.003-04:00

He's coming to Kentucky! Are you serious? John Calipari is the best there will ever be when it comes to recruiting. What will UK do about the 'ships though? Right now they have too many. They'll figure it out I'm sure.

Wanna Play The Lottery?

2009-05-19T15:37:00.003-04:00

Here's a neat tool on ESPN.com that predicts the draft lottery and who the team will pick.

It should be interesting to see if the Sacramento Kings are able to come away with the #1 pick in this June's draft.

Blake Griffin is going to be #1 most likely, but look for Ricky Rubio to be the best of the draft.

If you want a mock draft, go here.

Red, White and Pink-Slip Blues - Hank Williams Jr. - (official video)

2009-05-19T10:51:00.001-04:00

One of the songs that is stuck in my head after hearing it on CMT, I like it.

Juventus Plays Game Without Fans In Stadium

2009-05-18T13:31:00.007-04:00

The match was played in an empty stadium as punishment for Juventus fans racially abusing Inter striker Balotelli, who is of Ghanaian descent.

"It was strange playing in front of no fans," Ranieri said.

I have a good friend who lives in France who had a ticket to this game. I talked to him on Saturday and told me about this. I couldn't believe it, but it's true.

Could you ever see something like this happening here? I can't.

An example could be the incident in Detroit after the Pistons & Pacers game. The next game, David Stern would announce there will be no fans permitted in the stadium.

Catch The Preakness?

2009-05-18T10:51:00.004-04:00

Jockey Calvin Borel all but guaranteed victory in the Preakness Stakes and, boy, did she deliver, becoming the first filly in 85 years to win the second leg of the Triple Crown.

I watched the Preakness over the weekend. It was really neat to see jockey Calvin Borel take Rachel Alexandra through the finish line. He was so confident in her it was crazy. After taking Mine That Bird through the finish line at The Kentucky Derby, I didn't doubt him at all. I just wish I would have put something down on her.

The last leg of the Triple Crown at Belmont coming up...

Peavy Lights Out

2009-05-18T10:41:00.003-04:00

The bump in the road got a little bigger with Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the San Diego Padres. The win completed a three-game sweep for the Padres. It is the first time the Reds have lost three straight all year.

Sad to see the Reds lose 3 games to the Padres, but it was bound to happen. The Reds just didn't have it this weekend. Saturday night's game was tough. I hate extra inning games in San Diego. It wasn't any better yesterday, Jake Peavy was strong.

Wow James Harrison, Really?

2009-05-18T10:30:00.006-04:00

I just heard what James Harrison, Steelers DL, comment about being invited to the White House. Wow. Was he serious?

"This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl. As far as I'm concerned, he [Obama] would've invited Arizona if they had won," said Harrison.

Lakers Show Up Finally

2009-05-18T10:19:00.004-04:00

Pau Gasol and the Lakers decided they didn't want to end their season and showed up to play on Sunday. They'll have to show up for Game 1 of the Conference Finals if they want to have a chance at the NBA Finals. They will not be able to play uninspired against the Nuggets. Give credit to Houston though. They took themselves to a point where no one thought they could get to without Yao and McGrady. A good story for the NBA.

Celtics Dethroned

2009-05-18T10:09:00.005-04:00

As Van Gundy charged into the visiting locker room, he reminded anyone within earshot of a stat that had been thrown in the Magic's face repeatedly over the last 48 hours: Boston was 32-0 when they led a series 3-2.

So, the Celtics couldn't take down the red hot Magic. Dwight Howard is doing his best and quickly becoming a household name as a big man. He does need a go-to move though. I hope Patrick Ewing can help him with that. If he develops a nice fade away, things could get nasty.

It'll be an awesome series against the Cavaliers, that's for sure.

Bruins Fan Shirtless Kid Jacked Up

2009-05-15T09:51:00.001-04:00

This was hilarious!

Vitale's Fundraiser Bringing Coaches Together

2009-05-15T09:42:00.005-04:00

"They come," Vitale said, "every guy, free of charge, pay their own hotels, pay

their own flights, and in many cases, give us big, big donations."

But possibly the biggest endorsement of Vitale's efforts and the entity they benefit, the V Foundation for Cancer Research, is the number of people expected to attend. More than 700. A sellout, at $1,000 a pop.

In this economy, a loud and proud "Awesome, Baby!'' is in order.

This is a really neat thing Vitale does. I can definitely tell he is passionate about fighting against cancer for his late friend Jim Valvano.

Who's coming? Start with Raheem Morris, Doug Williams, Mike Alstott, Paul Azinger, Jimmy Arias, Tom Izzo, Jay Wright, Gary Williams, Bill Self, John Calipari, Tubby Smith, Reggie Theus, Bob Lanier, and a few more.

Goodyear, Arizona is Shaping Up

2009-05-15T09:33:00.002-04:00

Under hot sun and 100-degree heat at a place that at least seems like a distant land away, the Reds' vision of a desert Spring Training oasis has very much taken shape.

The Reds take on the Padres tonight coming off of a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Reds seem to like Arizona so I hope their new facility there will bring many winning seasons with it.

If you have the jack, you should put down a deposit for tickets.

Miles of Blount

2009-05-15T09:26:00.002-04:00

The 27-year-old Miles was alone in his car Wednesday night in suburban Fairview Heights, Ill., when an officer pulled him over for allegedly failing to use a turn signal, police Sgt. Steve Evans said. During a search of the car, Evans said police found a small amount of marijuana in a plastic bag in the passenger compartment.

This shows you that once you are a user, you're going to have a hard time stopping. Corie Blount gets a year in prison after mailing weed to himself and Darius Miles will be haunted by his habit for the rest of his life. Awful. Once an SI cover story, now a back story on the Memphis evening news.

Lake Show Almost Over

2009-05-15T09:18:00.002-04:00

The Houston Rockets keep surprising everyone but themselves, and now they've got a chance to pull off the ultimate stunner: knocking out the Los Angeles

Lakers.

Now this is music to my ears. If Houston were to beat L.A. without Yao and McGrady, what would that say to the Lakers? That's a busted lip for Kobe Bryant. Houston has impressed everyone with the way they are playing. Luis Scola played well last night, Aaron Brooks did his thing, and now the Rockets have a good shot to dethrone the West Champs.

Rockets beat L.A. on Sunday, 91-86.

Howard Orders Celtics Up

2009-05-15T09:02:00.004-04:00

Howard had 23 points and 22 rebounds after challenging Stan Van Gundy's coaching strategy, and the Magic beat the Boston Celtics 83-75 Thursday night to force a decisive Game 7.

Skip to My Lou, A.K.A Rafer Alston, has been money for the injured Jameer Nelson.

Boston wins Game 7 at "The Garden", 98-95 OT

Good Story on Mayo Fallout

2009-05-15T08:54:00.003-04:00

excerpt from Mike DeCourcy article:

The USC basketball program already was under investigation regarding those charges when Johnson threw an accelerant on a burning fire with the payoff charges against Floyd -- which Johnson has repeated to federal investigators and the NCAA before revealing them to reporters from Yahoo! Sports. And whether or not the allegations make sense, whether or not they're true, Floyd has become engulfed by those flames. His career will be profoundly impacted.

I understand why this stuff goes on, but in the end, is it really worth it? Be smart, play it safe, and do the right thing.

Prediction Time- NBA Finals

2009-05-14T09:28:00.007-04:00

I made a prediction a month ago for the Cincinnati Reds to win 91 games this year. So, far that has worked out. I'm feeling somewhat credible now, so here's another small prediction.

Denver Nuggets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals

I don't know about you, but this is what I dreamed of in 2003 when LeBron was picked #1 by the Cavs and Carmelo went #3. I knew at some point these two would have a chance at battling in the Finals. They're franchise changing players. Granted, Anthony is a lot different than James because unlike James, Anthony needs a better supporting cast around him. He can't change a game like LeBron can, he is not as dominating.

I know these two have been hyped up pretty much, but hype aside I think a Finals with these two teams would be optimal and I would watch every game.

If this does happen I predict Denver to win in seven, that's right, Denver. They have a lot of depth and a better point guard who's been there in Chauncey Billups.

Get To Know- Chris "Birdman" Andersen

2009-05-14T09:28:00.001-04:00

I'm a fan. I like his tenacity, aggressiveness, and his dunks are pretty sick, love his signature hang.

Smart Car Crash Test Video

2009-05-14T09:12:00.003-04:00

A question at the water cooler as of late: Have you seen this new car that looks like a Hot Wheels car? Yes, it's the European Smart Car. See how it does in a crash test by clicking the story link

"Birdman" or Rodman

2009-05-12T15:27:00.004-04:00

Who wins for most tattoes by a defensive minded player?

I think it's time for a poll question...

Big Baby Apologizes to Big Baby

2009-05-12T15:08:00.007-04:00

Davis said he got emotional and didn’t see the boy as he turned and ran to the Celtics bench to celebrate his 21-foot jumper that gave the Celtics a 95-94 win over the Magic on Sunday. It tied the second-round playoff series at 2-2.

“If I’ve hurt anybody or if I’ve done any harm to anybody, please forgive me because my intentions were just harmless,” he said.

The boy’s father wrote the NBA office demanding an apology.

Ernest Provetti, who identified the boy as his son, Nicholas, said Davis had “no regard for fans’ personal safety.”

I don't see a reason for an apology. If I was the kid I'd be pumped up I was the one he pushed. It's not like the kid was seven years old or something, he looks like a teenager, but his dad seems to be a very uptight CEO, so it's not a big surprise.

Anyway, Big Baby manned up and gave the apology the dad wanted to hear. Kudos to him.

Men Behaving Badly

2009-05-12T14:57:00.003-04:00

As K-Mart strolled down the hallway to the American Airlines Center’s loading dock, he passed a handful of Dallas Mavericks supporters still reveling in an arena bar.

“[Expletive] you [expletives]!” Martin shouted, flashing his middle finger for emphasis. “We ain’t coming back here!”

All that was missing was some tender music, a cute third-grader and an “NBA Cares” backdrop. NBA Playoffs 2009: Where profane happens.

Martin, who grew up in Dallas, responded likewise. He sought out Cuban on his way off the court, then unleashed a torrent of profanity in his direction. Among the nicer things Martin said, according to witnesses, was that he vowed “to get” Cuban.

Cuban baited Martin through it all, pretending as if he couldn’t hear him. When reporters tried to approach K-Mart, who finished the evening with a 17-to-2 f-bomb-to-point ratio, he cursed them, too

These two guys are wasting their time. What is Mark Cuban thinking? The referees made an awful call, get over it, it's not going to change. I know he apologized, but too late. He just realized what he did was foolish.

As for Kenyon, I hope he settles down. He's tough and I could see things getting ugly if he threw a physical tantrum instead of a verbal one.

Cuban just has to face the music, Denver is better than his team. Period.

Field of Dreams "People will come, Ray"

2009-05-12T10:53:00.001-04:00

I just found out it's not "if you build it they will come", rather, it is "people will come, Ray". Apparently we get a lot of movie quotes wrong.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/may/11/star-wars-movie-misquotes-poll

Reds Honor Mothers and Raise Awareness

2009-05-11T11:19:00.003-04:00

"It means a lot to me personally," Reds manager Dusty Baker said of the
day. "I lost my mother-in-law a few years ago to breast cancer. In my heart, I
really wanted to win this today for her. I'm just glad people are aware of
what's here and, hopefully, we'll find a cure for it soon."

I listened to the game on the way home from St. Louis, had a graduation for a cousin in-law from Webster University, and watched the 9th and extra inning in HD when we got home. What a great game, the Reds lost, but getting a game tying HR in the bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, with a full count is so sweet, plus the fact that it was Micah Owings, even sweeter. I like how the players where pink in honor of Mother's Day and to raise awareness for Breast Cancer and the Susan B. Komen Foundation.

NBA TV Top 5: May 10th

2009-05-11T10:57:00.001-04:00

The #2 play was unreal. Oop to Aaron Brooks from the halfcourt sideline, that's impressive.

Glen Davis Nails the Game-Winning Jumper at the Buzzer

2009-05-11T10:54:00.002-04:00

After his days at LSU, I would've never suspected this. Big Freakin' Baby at the buzzer to win a big NBA game.

At the 00.21 mark in the video Glen Davis pushes a kid aside in excitement. The kid's dad is upset he pushed his son. Give me a break. You are sitting on the floor 10 men are playing on.

2009 NBA MVP: LeBron James Video

2009-05-11T10:52:00.001-04:00

I'm not a big fan of mega-stars, but I can't help loving LeBron James. He is just ridiculously talented for a 6'8, 240 lbs man.

Carmelo Anthony Wins Game 3

2009-05-11T10:48:00.001-04:00

Yes, I like Carmelo, but that was a foul and Dallas did get robbed.

Stephen Curry Raps

2009-05-11T10:45:00.001-04:00

I have to admit, it's pretty good editing for a student media group. This stuff is hard to dub, trust me. It's pretty cool to see Curry having fun with his peers.

I Said This! I'm Such A Fool!

2009-05-07T13:37:00.003-04:00

September 20, 2005- I praise Chad Johnson by saying the following in block quotes

I will eat crow for saying this. The things you say when things are all hunky-dory.

Chad Johnson is a pimp in my mind. I mean, this guy is a flat out player.
His antics are funny and this "Who's covering #85 in 2005, is hilarious and his "riverdance" TD
celebration was priceless. I don't care what he does or says because he can back
this up. People are saying that he should keep his mouth shut and play football,
but c'mon he's just having some fun with this. I hate the people who are so
stuck on traditional football, players are different now, not everyone is Barry
Sanders. Chad is a great talent for the Bengals and as long as he shows his
stuff on Sundays, I don't care, and so far no one has covered C.J. in 2005.

Very Close To Ending My Brett Favre Relationship

2009-05-07T10:07:00.002-04:00

The legendary quarterback’s meeting with Vikings coach Brad Childress began with
dinner on Wednesday night near Favre’s Mississippi home and will continue today,
according to the Star Tribune of Minneapolis.

To be honest, I'm tired of it and if he signs with the Vikings I will debate selling everything I own Brett Favre, which would leave a lot of room in the basement "man cave" I plan on creating someday.

My allegiance belongs to the Green Bay Packers. I detest the Vikings, Bears, and Lions. If Favre is a Viking next season I will catagorize him as "the enemy".

I think I'm going to photoshop Favre wearing every NFL teams jersey. Make it stop.

A Look At DeMarcus Cousins

2009-05-07T10:05:00.000-04:00

It's hard not to be excited about this guy.

Calipari Charms Bledsoe

2009-05-07T09:52:00.004-04:00

Bledsoe promises that if John Wall comes to UK, they "will get s*** done". We'll see. Bledsoe was a top ranked PG and we all know Kentucky needed a PG after last season.

The only concerning thing to some is that Bledsoe doesn't appear to be very smart. He had a press conference and he didn't sound very good. The video can be found on YouTube, but I don't want to post it because it is pretty painful to watch. For example, he was asked what he thought about the campus and facilities, he said something like this, "I like facilities". We'll see if he can get through the coursework at UK.

However, here is a video of him playing.

Larry Bird and Rajon Rondo Have Something In Common

2009-05-07T09:45:00.002-04:00

"I thought the whole team played with great energy," Boston coach Doc
Rivers said, "and Rondo was just in attack mode. His speed was a factor, and
we talk about it all the time: There's no guarantee that anybody is going to
play well or not, but there is a guarantee you'll give yourself a chance when
you play with what you do. And today, Rondo played with his speed. I mean,
that's what he is. And when he plays with his speed, good things happen."

Rondo has 3 triple-doubles in this year's playoffs, the only other Celtic to do that during the playoffs, Larry Bird.

Bruce Springsteen - The Wrestler (Full Song)

2009-05-05T22:42:00.001-04:00

I love this song. I need to see the movie.

Royalty on the Mound

2009-05-05T10:36:00.004-04:00

The way it works in sports, stars come and go. But every so often, something magical happens.
And that sets off a mania. Monday night, Royals pitcher ZackGreinke pitched another masterpiece. Zack Mania is now officially in swing.

The kid from Kansas City is turning heads and finally giving Royals fans something to cheer about. As a former Royals player (tee-ball team's name) I try to pay attention to what the guys from KC are doing. So far, they're leading the AL Central, not a spectacular record, but if Greinke continues to pitch like this he could easily be a 20 game winner and secure a spot on this summer's all-star team.

I'm So Done With

2009-05-05T10:21:00.004-04:00

The aftermath of Clear Channel's layoffs has left 1530 Homer listeners with a couple new radio jocks, one being Steve Czaban. The first couple of days I didn't like him, but he's starting to grow on me. I like his segment "I'm so done with...". I was listening today and it's basically a time to bicker about the things we are tired of seeing sports wise. The things mentioned today and I agree with were:

Coors Light commercials that use past coaches press conferences
NBA players going overboard with their tattoes, Udonis Haslem and the state of Florida tattoed on his back, for example. Kenyon Martin's red lips on his neck, Marbury's "3" tattoed to his head, and Chris Andersen's rainbow sleeves on both arms.
ESPN blowing Tiger Woods every time they talk about golf as if no one else plays the sport

Orlando On A Mission

2009-05-05T10:12:00.003-04:00

BOSTON - The Orlando Magic were straddling the final moments of Game 1 against the Boston Celtics, only seconds away from being portrayed as the victim of a great comeback or an enabler of a colossal collapse.

After thinking about this series, I like Orlando in a seven game series. Boston is reeling after a seven game, plus multiple overtimes, so despite what Doc Rivers says, they're freaking tired. However, if Dwight Howard decides to punk someone with his elbow again, I'd take Boston.

To Pursue or Not To Pursue

2009-05-04T15:27:00.006-04:00

One of the nation's most sought-after basketball recruits has been charged with a misdemeanor breaking and entering after police found him walking out of a vacant house in North Carolina, police said Monday.

I read a lot of good things about his play, but I think it'd be a perfect time for UK and Coach Calipari to stop pursuing John Wall, although Coach Calipari is known to give second chances. Obviously, a very dumb move on Wall's part. I believe in second chances, but this tells me he is not ready to put aside childish things.

Your 2009 NBA MVP

2009-05-04T15:21:00.004-04:00

The NBA will announce LeBron James as its MVP on Monday, The Plain Dealer of Cleveland and The Associated Press have reported, citing unnamed sources.

The announcement will be made at James' alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, the reports said. The Cavaliers called a news conference for 4 p.m. ET but didn't specify the nature of the event.

I had a feeling this day would come. He's lived up to the hype and deserves this over Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade. It's pretty neat to see him go back to St. Vincent-St. Mary to receive the award.

Dance Party Video of the Day

2009-04-30T14:41:00.001-04:00

Keeping An Eye On Josh Hamilton

2009-04-30T14:28:00.003-04:00

Josh Hamilton expects to remain out of the Texas Rangers lineup until at least next week even though the slugger's strained left rib cage muscle is feeling better after medication and treatment.

Here's hoping Hamilton is able to come back from this injury and get back on track. After what he did last year it's hard not to want him to excel and do well on the field.

April 30, 1939: Lou Gehrig Plays His Last Game

2009-04-30T13:49:00.004-04:00

Lou "Iron Horse" Gehrig is someone I've learned about over the last couple years. Today marks the last day Lou Gehrig would wear Yankee pinstripes before retiring due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS. Gehrig was a phenomenal baseball player and from what I've read about him a good overall person. On July 4, 1939 he made his famous speech and referred to himself as "the luckiest man on the face of the earth." I'm sure it was tough for him to say he was the "luckiest man on the face of the earth", but seeing the words to his speech over and over is a reminder for me everyday. If there was one sports figure I could go back and meet it would be Gehrig.

Former Holmes Bulldog Signs with Illinois State

2009-04-30T11:00:00.003-04:00

Former Holmes High School Basketball star, Austin Hill, will sign a National Letter of Intent today 4-15-09. The Southeastern Illinois sophmore will sign a National Letter of intent with ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY in Normal/Bloomington Illinois with head coach Tim Jankovich.

I broadcasted a few games when Hill was playing for Holmes and he impressed me each time. He's got a nice build, goes to the hoop strong each time, and is a work horse on both sides of the ball. I hope he does well for the Redbirds.