04/25/24
Archives for August 2006
August 31, 2006
Meet Ryan Howard: Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard took a different route to becoming a potential MVP candidate, including balancing marching band practice with football practice.
posted by SummersEve to baseball at 06:21 PM - 16 comments
Red Sox implosion: : Not as much fun as a Yankees breakdown would be. But it's a lot of fun. (From King Kaufman at Salon -- Just click through the damn ad!)
posted by holden to baseball at 05:03 PM - 79 comments
Still need one team, draft is Sunday!!: League ID: 99469 League URL: http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1/99469 Password: NoCostanzaForMe Also, I will shorten the bench to 4.
posted by elovrich to fantasy at 03:34 PM - 8 comments
So You Think You Can ... : Steer a Boat and Scream Encouragement at Very High Volume? Then you might be the winner of China's latest reality television show, which promises a chance to be an Olympic coxswain in 2008.
Of course, you'll also need to be a Chinese citizen. And under 100 pounds.
posted by Amateur to other at 11:21 AM - 6 comments
Weekend warriors to play forever?: Umbilical cord blood might provide the perfect "repair kit" for athletic bodies that are seriously injured or breaking down. (via Toronto Star)
posted by smithers to culture at 08:06 AM - 14 comments
Witness for the Prosecution?: Imagine you are the world's most powerful newspaper and you have invested your credibility in yet another story line that is falling apart, crumbling as inexorably as Jayson Blair's fabrications and the flawed reporting on Saddam Hussein's supposed WMD. What to do?
posted by justgary to culture at 03:48 AM - 12 comments
posted by justgary to baseball at 01:01 AM - 19 comments
August 30, 2006
Delmon Young Homers in Big League Debut:: Ozzie Guillen, charismatic protector of umpires everywhere, takes rookie to task for bat throwing incident.
posted by kyrilmitch_76 to baseball at 08:20 PM - 10 comments
Up with Stevie Y.: The Wings had to honor him in some way. I imagine this is just the start.
posted by roberts to hockey at 06:44 PM - 23 comments
The MAC is full of players: who convinced themselves they were headed to Michigan or Wisconsin, only to learn that their 40 times were a couple of ticks slow or their test scores a few points off. They missed out on scholarships supposedly earmarked for them, and they are still a little salty about it.
posted by Ufez Jones to football at 05:55 PM - 6 comments
Seattle Pitcher Stable After Hit In The Head.: OUCH! You hate to see something like this happen and I hope he's OK. IMHO it's also a good argument for keeping wooden bats only in MLB and never allowing them to go to aluminum as some have suggested in the past.
posted by commander cody to baseball at 05:26 PM - 12 comments
How good can it get? : SI's Peter King opines on the best-case scenario for all 32 NFL teams in the upcoming season. The PowerPoint approach, conclusions rather than analysis, but still worth a quick gander.
posted by lil_brown_bat to football at 01:38 PM - 25 comments
Pavano rankles all involved: The Yankees explore voiding Pavano's contract - putting aside the fact that this is about the Yankees, I think the most important question is this - does any team have the right to explore this option if it is apparent the player just doesn't want to play for them? Is not coming forward about a car accident "conduct detrimental to the team"? Plus, how do you come back when your own teammates are laughing at you? Interesting....
posted by The Gangstinator to baseball at 10:34 AM - 32 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 12: It's the CFL's big holiday weekend, with the traditional Labour Day rivalries all revved up for action, unless of course Hamilton is involved. Make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 08:57 AM - 13 comments
Spofi EPL FFL: Updates through the first three weeks.
posted by gspm to fantasy at 08:31 AM - 33 comments
August 29, 2006
"Fields of Green: High School Pay." : High School Football Coach's salaries in the the State of Texas via King Kaufman.
posted by willthrill72 to football at 02:30 PM - 39 comments
Katrina strikes again: Do any SpoFiers live in Louisiana? I'd like to see more local information about this. This is horrible how they're punishing these kids after their world was destroyed.
posted by timdawg to football at 01:39 PM - 16 comments
Back to the Future?:
The Golden State Warriors have parted ways with former coach Mike Montgomery. Montgomery's dismissal paves the way for Don Nelson to become the next head coach.
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 12:13 PM - 10 comments
The Red Sox Worst Nightmare: David Ortiz of the Red Sox is out indefinately due to an irregular heart beat. Are Bostons hopes of getting into the playoffs officially over? (They're already 7 games behind the Yankees.)
posted by Kendall to baseball at 10:37 AM - 92 comments
Should male athletes be permitted an extra year of NCAA eligibility if they take a season off for paternity leave?: That's the question (and lawsuit) that Kansas University Defensive Tackle Eric Butler is asking of the NCAA and the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals [more inside]
posted by Ufez Jones to general at 09:51 AM - 44 comments
August 28, 2006
Finn takes Gold at Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships.: Showing once again why the Finns lead the world in new and innovative sports. Considering that competitors came from as far away as Canada, is it only a matter of time before this too is an Olympic sport? What the heck throwing a stick is and so throwing a really heavy Frisbee, so why not a phone?
posted by commander cody to other at 10:22 PM - 24 comments
Raiders go way back, sign inactive quarterback George: The Oakland Raiders signed Jeff George to a contract Monday, bringing back a player who hasn't thrown an NFL pass in five seasons.
posted by lex2000 to football at 06:32 PM - 31 comments
Charlotte Observer: Panthers were juiced for 2003 Super Bowl run: Using information from a federal steroids case and its own deduction, The Observer named names this week, saying three of the five starting offensive linemen from the Panthers' February 2004 Super Bowl team -- guard Kevin Donnalley, center Jeff Mitchell and tackle Todd Steussie -- were in the report.
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 06:04 PM - 12 comments
Spofi NHL Fantasy Pool: We're off and running for the Spofi NHL Fantasy Pool again: details inside...
posted by chicobangs to fantasy at 05:37 PM - 30 comments
Time to restore 61 as the gold standard in baseball: It was 45 years ago last week, and Roger Maris' hair had not yet begun to fall out. A bigger milestone awaited, but on Aug. 22, 1961, Maris hit a home run off of Ken McBride of the Los Angeles Angels that had its own place in history.
posted by irunfromclones to baseball at 03:43 PM - 36 comments
Who is William Wesley?: Players need someone who knows the ropes, a mentor, an advisor, an uncle. Enter William Wesley. ... He was right there in Michael Jordan’s ear. The whole time. “Wes” helped pull off one of the great feats of modern legend-making. He held the hand of one of the NBA’s less likable characters—an angry, cussing, yelling, gambling, adrenaline addict with some sort of over-competitive personality disorder—as he became the most successful pitchman in sports history, complete with his own animated children’s movie. [via kottke.org]
posted by worldcup2002 to basketball at 12:13 PM - 6 comments
Dallas Teams Offer Fabulous Parting Gifts: With A-Rod, Michael Finley, Shawn Bradley, Chan Ho Park and others receiving $150 million, Dallas appears to be leading the sports world in "dead money," salaries paid to athletes who no longer play there.
posted by rcade to general at 07:31 AM - 19 comments
August 27, 2006
posted by mr_crash_davis to tennis at 06:23 PM - 10 comments
Fantasy Hockey: I've set up a Head to Head Fantasy Hockey League! 15 days 18hrs. 51min and 53sec. until the start of training camp but who's counting. Join now space is limited. Details Inside!
posted by skydivedad to fantasy at 04:10 PM - 18 comments
Excerpt from Chad: I Can't Be Stopped.: Who we know is the image they choose to project. Chad Johnson is no different. Image: Flashy, hyperactive, talkative to the point of distraction. Reality: “He’s very quiet,” says Paula Johnson, his mother. Image: Laughing, joking life of the party. Reality: Asleep by halftime of Monday Night Football.
posted by mick to football at 10:17 AM - 18 comments
August 26, 2006
Patriots' About-Face Crafted By Owner : So is Robert Kraft the best team owner in sports today? Excellent (though short) article about the team's move from the bottom to the top. Sure wish he owned the Lions instead.
posted by commander cody to football at 06:20 PM - 27 comments
Tiger's tale: Did Tiger Woods get away with one on Friday? Had that been anyone else would they have recieved the same treatment?
posted by jknemo to golf at 02:19 PM - 23 comments
August 25, 2006
Miyazato Aces 2 Holes In Same Round.: No wonder I can't get one! Greedy SOB's like this are stealing the ones that should be mine! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him! Lucky sonava........
posted by commander cody to golf at 04:25 PM - 24 comments
BROTHERS IN ARMS: Remember the Titans? Don't forget the Gulf Coast, especially close to the one year anniversary of it. A little disclosure: I was the student manager for this team until the year before Katrina.
posted by chalmetteowl to football at 03:43 PM - 1 comment
Ricky: Rubio was selected for the Spanish U18 and U16 squad for this summer's European Championships. He decided he'd rather play with his own age group (U16) and proceeded to lead the tournament (which Spain won) in points, rebounds, assists and steals. He had a quadruple double in the semi-final against Croatia (19 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists and 11 steals), nailed a mid-court shot with three seconds left in the final to force overtime against the favourites Russia, and finished that game with 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists and 7 steals. He is the youngest player ever to play in Spain's ACB league.
posted by JJ to basketball at 05:47 AM - 9 comments
Hockey history: The Black Ice Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame conference starts today in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
George Fosty, co-author of Black Ice and Splendid is the Sun, has studied the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes: "There’s 300 (black) players that played serious hockey prior to 1958 that nobody knows about. It’s time to say, ‘Hey, we’ve missed something here.’"
posted by Amateur to hockey at 05:15 AM - 17 comments
A Real Knockout Artist.: Sportsfilter's own skydivedad interviews 2 time World Champion Luis Ramon Campas.
posted by justgary to boxing at 01:21 AM - 14 comments
August 24, 2006
Pluto Sent Down to Minors:: MLB.com gets its Onion on.
posted by holden to baseball at 08:27 PM - 25 comments
The dead ball era is back: with the announcement of the Vintage Base Ball Association. (last link may be slow or down due to high traffic)
posted by mr_crash_davis to baseball at 07:58 PM - 6 comments
Ricky Williams could retire as... an Argo?: Sure, he's under contract to the Dolphins for next year. But after that? "I was thinking it wouldn't be bad to come back up here and kind of follow the same steps as [head coach Pinball Clemons]—play here a couple years and maybe get a chance to coach up here. Because I really like Toronto, I really like this organization ... you can live here, you know? You feel like you have a life."
posted by DrJohnEvans to football at 07:47 PM - 29 comments
The psychopathology of athlete worship.
posted by Ufez Jones to culture at 03:06 PM - 13 comments
US OPEN men's seed report.: Federer eyes three-peat; draw gods unkind to Agassi
Tigers, Burning Kind of Bright: Has Detroit emerged from two decades of baseball hell?
posted by justgary to baseball at 01:14 PM - 20 comments
Beasts of the East.: Michael Silver explains why the NFC East is the best division in football.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia to football at 12:21 PM - 27 comments
From pastime to present - Resurrect these parts of baseball's history: Fulfilling the baseball nostalgia need in all of us. And yes I do miss Gary Carter's perm.
posted by gradys_kitchen to baseball at 11:27 AM - 11 comments
Talk about your odd couple: Rumours are flying that Roy Keane will be appointed new manager of Sunderland. And Sunderland's chairman is none other than Niall Quinn. Interesting times ahead.
posted by Fence to soccer at 04:03 AM - 6 comments
The Official Irish Road Bowling Association Website.: Was I raised in a cave or am I living under a rock to not have ever heard of this fun looking sport! What a great game! Can some European Spofi'ers enlighten me more about this? Or perhaps some wiser North American ones? This looks like a real blast!
posted by commander cody to culture at 01:35 AM - 8 comments
August 23, 2006
"This city, this sport, this is who I am".: Bill Plaschke's excellent write-up of Lisa Leslie. "This is my responsibility," she says. "I'm an athlete who has been blessed with a chance to bring different groups of people together: Different races, cultures, economic classes. If we can get them together and feeling happy for a couple of hours a night, how great is that?"
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 02:42 PM - 8 comments
Sparklines on the sportspage: Juiceanalytics takes a look at how sparkline-type graphs can be used on the sportspage.
posted by Uncle Toby to other at 02:11 PM - 10 comments
Gatlin is handed Eight Year Ban: Another one bites the dust. At least this time the athlete in question has stopped denying he was doping and agreed to help do what he can to eliminate doping in track and field, even if it does come in the form of a "plea bargain" worthy of Jack McCoy on Law and Order. I would tend to take his mea culpa seriously as this pretty much ends his career. I'm not above accepting an "I'm sorry", even if was offered after he was caught.
posted by commander cody to other at 12:35 AM - 19 comments
August 22, 2006
Edwards fined for hitting Earnhardt: About time someone had the guts to bust Earnhardt's bubble. I think NASCAR shows too much favortism toward certain drivers and teams, Earnhardt being one of them.
posted by usroute17 to auto racing at 06:33 PM - 33 comments
David Frost arrested for sexual explotation and assault: The man targeted in a bizarre murder-for-hire scheme by former NHLer (and client) Mike Danton is facing 13 charges following a two-year investigation.
posted by wfrazerjr to hockey at 04:30 PM - 14 comments
Superhumans.: (Well, that explains that.)
Washington University put Albert Pujols through a series of sensory tests. Result? He's good. Columbia University did the same with The Babe in 1921 (a test that is referenced in the Pujols article). He was good, too. These are not mere mortals we're dealing with. [via] posted by BullpenPro to baseball at 11:53 AM - 23 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 11: I so don't even know what's going on anymore.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 11:16 AM - 14 comments
David Foster Wallace on Roger Federer as religious experience: (NY Times link): in which Wallace, a former tennis prodigy himself, makes an elegant case for why everyone should see Federer play in person at least once in their lives.
In the light of the recent ascension of Tiger Woods up another step towards Valhalla, this is an interesting (and, of course, given the author, exhaustive, eloquent, poetic and heavily footnoted) counterpoint.
posted by chicobangs to tennis at 02:54 AM - 12 comments
Jays' Gibbons, Lilly Get Into Argument.: I'm sorry, but if someone ends up with a bloody nose then it's more then an "argument". Maybe some people are just wound a little too tightly to be a big league manager? So how long until Lilly is on the block to go?
posted by commander cody to baseball at 01:11 AM - 47 comments
August 21, 2006
Will the AZ Cardinals play in Pink Taco Stadium?: "There is zero chance of this happening," said Mark Dalton, director of media relations for the Cardinals. "We are in serious and legitimate naming rights discussion with several companies, this is not one of them."
posted by mr_crash_davis to football at 07:33 PM - 24 comments
Police: Teen Posed as a Reporter at Shea.: In the old days kids just tried to sneak past the guards. These days it's fake press credentials. Hmmmm....wonder if that'll work at Dodger stadium?
posted by commander cody to baseball at 03:24 PM - 59 comments
Captain's choice: Tom Lehman makes his picks, Cink and Verplank complete US Ryder Cup squad. Cink was ranked 12th in Ryder Cup points, Verplank was 20th, behind notable U.S. squad veterans Davis Love III and Fred Couples.
posted by YukonGold to golf at 02:45 PM - 18 comments
Bryant Gumbel in Trouble With NFL Network?: Gumbel's play-by-play gig may be in jeopardy.
posted by BlueCarp to football at 01:32 PM - 47 comments
6-foot-8 Little Leaguer towers over foes
posted by justgary to baseball at 12:52 PM - 17 comments
No one ever talks about the assistant coaches.: A head coach is always important, but what about the support staff? For every great coach, there is a Defensive Coordinator, a Goaltending Consultant, or a Pitching Coach who goes largely unrecognized. Here's a list of the top 10 second fiddles in sports.
posted by Samsonov14 to general at 12:49 AM - 7 comments
U.S.A.: U.n S.elfish A.ttitude?: I know the acronym is a stretch, but can the team representing best players from the most self-absorbed, individualistic league really become a poster child for selfless play? Are these the same players with infamous reputations for contract holdouts requring millions of more dollars than they'll ever need? Yes. Have these players truly learned their lessons about sharing, or are they just pretending to now that the league they're competing in is twice as easy?
posted by RyanThaRappa to basketball at 12:47 AM - 16 comments
August 20, 2006
Massacre at Medinah: I admit it wasn't the Medinah we thought it would be but Tiger still wins walking away. Tiger has won his last three events. It seems like he is on another one of his rolls where he wins 5 or 6 in a row. Are we half way to another Tiger Slam?
posted by dbt302 to golf at 08:16 PM - 29 comments
Pakistan protest sparks farce: "The fourth test between England and Pakistan descended into total farce on Sunday as first Pakistan, then the umpires, refused to return to the field after tea on the fourth day following a ball-tampering storm."
posted by nthdegx to other at 02:34 PM - 14 comments
Rice To Retire With 49ers Next Week.: I like the move to sign a contract with San Francisco and then immediately retire. Somehow the idea of him retiring from any other team just wouldn't seem right. Just as I'm sure he'll be presented as a Niner when he goes into the Hall of Fame. The halftime honors in Nov is a nice touch. I'm not an SF fan, but I'll still miss watching him play.
posted by commander cody to football at 02:09 AM - 25 comments
August 19, 2006
Malkin sits down for interview with TSN: In the midst of a firestorm over the past couple of weeks, Russian centre Evgeni Malkin has arrived in North America and TSN's Darren Dreger sat down with him for an exclusive interview Friday.
posted by wingnut4life to hockey at 08:56 PM - 2 comments
Turning over a new Leaf?: A bust as the second overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft, Ryan Leaf is finding redemption as the volunteer quarterbacks coach at Division II West Texas A&M.
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 04:26 PM - 22 comments
"We kept looking up and it kept being the fourth inning." : In the longest 9-inning game in major league history, the Yankees take 4 hours and 45 minutes to seal a 14-11 victory over the Red Sox. The game was the nightcap of a double-header that added up to 8 hours and 40 minutes of baseball, 41 runs, 61 hits, and 18 different pitchers.
Wonder how lively they'll be in this afternoon's game?
posted by lil_brown_bat to baseball at 07:04 AM - 71 comments
He has done it again: at 43 years old, and possibly on his way to an unprecedented five time heavyweight champ. Holyfield has won his first fight in the comeback trail.
posted by jojomfd1 to boxing at 02:38 AM - 22 comments
August 18, 2006
Marion Jones Failed Initial Drug Test: OK, is there anyone who's not doping? Someone? Anyone? I mean come on, what good does it do to cheer for anyone any longer?
posted by commander cody to other at 10:28 PM - 37 comments
Dikembe Mutombo: will open the door on his life's work Sept. 2 in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, marking the completion of the $29 million Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center. He donated $15 million of his own money and received additional aid from his fellow NBA players, owners, and celebrities such as Jay-Z, Bono, and Bill Gates. The hospital is named after his mother, who died nine years ago of a stroke and failed to make it to a nearby hospital due to civil unrest and curfew restrictions.
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 05:58 PM - 18 comments
SpoFi College Football PickEm.: The same as the NFL PickEm, except that it's college football. There are two ways to play, league passwords and ID's inside.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia to fantasy at 05:52 PM - 6 comments
Seattle rowers win trans-Atlantic race.: "They didn't beat Mother Nature, but they talked her into letting them finish the race ... I think they learned a lesson that the Spanish Armada learned a few hundred years ago -- that it's not that easy to storm the English Coast." It took Jordan Hanssen, Dylan LeValley, Greg Spooner and Brad Vickers 69 days, 23 hours and 18 minutes to row the nearly 3,900 nautical miles from New York Harbor to the coast of the UK. You can find more information about the team, including pictures, a blog, and history of the race, on their official website.
posted by Ufez Jones to extreme at 05:29 PM - 4 comments
Are You Ready for Some Football?: With the start of the Premiership tomorrow morning, it might be a good time to cancel all of your plans for the next eight months, create a fantasy team, and join the SportsFilter league.
posted by rcade to fantasy at 12:52 PM - 39 comments
MLB is holding a Hometown Hero ballot for each franchise.: The press release lists all of MLB's selected candidates. Thought we could post our thoughts here on who we would pick, and who were the most glaring omissions from the ballot.
posted by BullpenPro to fantasy at 10:53 AM - 28 comments
The Mick's 10 biggest taters: Did anyone hit 'em as far as Mantle? Will anyone?
posted by mjkredliner to baseball at 01:23 AM - 45 comments
August 17, 2006
It's never too arly to teach them...: that athletes are above the law. The mother is probably right. These kids will be in the news again if they make college ball.
posted by texoma-slim to culture at 07:34 PM - 33 comments
The ultimate assist.: For years James' coaches had chided him for being insufficiently physical, for shying from contact. Now here he was, helping to wrestle a flailing man into submission. James' adrenaline, surging far more than it ever had on a basketball court, spiked when a flight attendant warned, "Careful, he's got a bomb in his shoe!" An excellent article about former Evansville and current NBDL player Kwame James and his experience with would-be shoebomber Richard Reid.
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 03:10 PM - 7 comments
Steinbrenner Retreats From the Spotlight
posted by justgary to baseball at 12:51 PM - 6 comments
Community Service Artest Style: Artest defends his role in the Rumble at the Palace.
posted by gradys_kitchen to basketball at 12:47 PM - 58 comments
Is: Darth Regier building his Sabre's empire more efficiently? Buffalo's GM is being criticized for moving to solely video-based scouting.
posted by garfield to hockey at 11:12 AM - 6 comments
New Cardinal Field Tagged Latest "Wonder of the World": Retractable roofs are old news. This stadium actually has a field on a tray which sits outdoors 340 days a year and moves into the stadium via motors for games! Weird looking but definitely cutting-edge and amazing.
posted by dyams to football at 08:38 AM - 22 comments
Vikings' Robinson Arrested; Season May Be In Jeopardy: Minnesota Vikings' wide receiver Koren Robinson, after a comeback season that saw him win the Korey Stringer Good Guy Award, the Ed Block Courage Award, a trip to the Pro Bowl, and a new three-year contract, was arrested Tuesday night and charged with one felony count of fleeing in a motor vehicle, two counts of DWI and three other misdemeanors.
posted by The_Black_Hand to football at 05:21 AM - 26 comments
August 16, 2006
Ground Breaking begins on the house that George built: No... not that George. George Steinbrener and various baseball offcials broke ground on the new Yankee Stadium. Any thoughts about the situation?
posted by Kendall to baseball at 08:33 PM - 14 comments
Double your pleasure: Double your fun. For the first time in major league history, two games went 18 innings on the same day. It was the longest game in Rockies history, and the Cubs set a record by using all 25 men on their active roster.
Nothing spoke more to the Rockies' offensive absurdity than this: Jamey Carroll drove in Colorado's lone run on a double play groundout, the highlight of his 0-for-8 game that featured a combined 124 at-bats, including 61 for the Rockies. After Carroll's out, nearly 100 batters had an opportunity and came up empty. Gas prices, meanwhile, presumably rose 3 cents per gallon. posted by BullpenPro to baseball at 12:57 PM - 15 comments
Lonnie, we thought we knew ye: His breadth and his touch were enough for Lonnie Baxter to shoulder Maryland to an NCAA championship, but his lack of height turned his NBA career to an unsurprising bust. His getting busted this morning on weapons charges is a bit more of a surprise.
posted by Hugh Janus to basketball at 10:49 AM - 27 comments
August 15, 2006
Is the NFL Preseason too long?: Many people (and players) complain about the length of the Preseason. Is it too long? Should the schedule be shortened, or is it good for teams to give the backups playing time?
posted by Kendall to football at 07:31 PM - 21 comments
S.F. Reporters Must Testify Over Bonds Leak: A federal judge told two San Francisco Chronicle reporters they must comply with a subpoena and tell a grand jury who leaked them secret testimony of Barry Bonds and other elite athletes ensnared in the government's steroid probe.
posted by L.N. Smithee to baseball at 07:12 PM - 8 comments
NFL Pick'em: Two ways to play. Against the spread sans confidence (group# 21049 - password: romeisburnt) and Straight up with confidence points (group # 21053 - password: miniditka). 30 team cap for both, for now, but I'm flexible if consensus is more or less.
posted by Ufez Jones to fantasy at 05:41 PM - 14 comments
The Art of the Interview, ESPN-Style: Every single editorial employee at ESPN is expected to attend a three-day seminar to move away from Mike Wallace and Larry King style theatrics and more towards true 'journalism'. Who would have thought this ammount of brainwork went into the Budweiser Hot Seat.
posted by gradys_kitchen to culture at 04:47 PM - 9 comments
Without Olympic rings, the world championships are just a bunch of guys playing basketball.: Requires viewing an ad for a Salon.com day pass.
posted by gradys_kitchen to basketball at 12:52 PM - 2 comments
Telling Signs Can Tip Scales on Mound: It seems to be "Let's look at pitching" week in the Boston Globe. Is it really an advantage to know what the pitcher is about to throw? Some say it is, others say not. The David Ortiz approach seems to me to be the most valid, ``I just see the ball and hit it. Don't bother me with that other stuff."
posted by Howard_T to baseball at 08:14 AM - 12 comments
Doping materials found after European athletics championships: A bag containing "what appeared to be materials used for doping" has been found in Gothenberg. And it looks like the syringes, catheters etc had all been used.
posted by Fence to other at 03:52 AM - 7 comments
Kornheiser Opens Eyes, Including His Own
posted by justgary to football at 02:19 AM - 29 comments
Leinart signs a large contract: from the sounds of it coach Green is not too happy with the way some things were handled.
posted by jojomfd1 to football at 01:41 AM - 27 comments
August 14, 2006
The top ten Men's Tennis matches of the aught's.: Consider it the transition from Agassi/Sampras to Federer/Roddick/Nadal. Can you remember one that should be included?
posted by Ufez Jones to tennis at 10:16 PM - 5 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 10: Folkways rakes in the points in a nice send-off, and the first week that everybody picks against Toronto is the first week in quite a few that Toronto actually pulls off a win. Predictable, really. Take inspiration from the newly-posted SpoFi guidelines and make your Week 10 picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 10:14 PM - 14 comments
posted by ballen7065 to football at 06:30 PM - 67 comments
Malkin jumping over to Pens?: MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Russia's Metallurg Magnitogorsk will go to court to seek compensation from Pittsburgh Penguins after the sudden disappearance of their best player, Evgeni Malkin, the Superleague club's head said on Sunday.
posted by hb74147 to hockey at 03:14 PM - 10 comments
End of an era as Harry Sinden steps down:: the guiding force behind the bench and in the front office of the Boston Bruins for 40 years, he decided to step down this week as President and General Manager.
Like him or hate him, he was certainly one of a kind.
posted by chicobangs to hockey at 03:09 PM - 15 comments
NFL to EPL, Pt. 2: Cleveland Browns owner/trust fund baby Randy Lerner joined the Glazers by paying nearly US$120M for perennial also-rans Aston Villa. His dad founded the MBNA credit card empire so we know what's in his wallet. Will he be an American Abramovitch or be another Deadly Doug?
posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 09:59 AM - 7 comments
Green Light... RED LIGHT! haha go back to the beginning.: While crew chief Roy McCauley argued the call - and the ensuing penalty that left Busch as the last car on the lead lap - NASCAR officials said the caution and the light closing pit road happened 2 seconds before the driver headed past the commitment line for a stop.
posted by everett to auto racing at 08:50 AM - 19 comments
The Hardball Times Asks, "Does Size Matter?": in terms of bat handling and scoring, not in terms of getting to 3rd base.
posted by yerfatma to baseball at 07:51 AM - 8 comments
August 13, 2006
Liverpool Crouches to 2-1 Charity Shield Victory : In the season pre-opener that pits last season's EPL champions against the FA Cup champions, Liverpool scored a moral victory before the EPL 06-07 season starts next week. Couldn't find anything on YouTube as of this writing. But, on a related note: A couple of Guardian write-ups on How Chelsea and Roman are killing football and Why Liverpool could win the EPL. Are you ready for some futbol?
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:39 PM - 18 comments
Are the dog days of August taking their toll?: Several rookie pitching standouts are wilting a bit, and some teams are attempting to circumvent overworking their young arms. This years crop of rookies is the best in a long while, I believe. Where does Florida find 'em?
posted by mjkredliner to baseball at 10:16 AM - 5 comments
Philadelphia Flyers, Eric Desjardins, Retires after 17 Years: Though I'm not a Flyers fan I can always appreciate the great career of another teams Captain and he was a pleasure to watch all of these years. A great defenseman and a class act. It's a shame he had to go out because of not being offered a new contract. Let's hope he renews his interest in coaching someday.
posted by commander cody to hockey at 01:43 AM - 23 comments
Titans Mascot Runs Cart Into Saints QB: Well that one way to get rid of the other sides players. Have your mascot run 'em over with a golf cart. It does seem that sometimes the mascots get in the way a bit too much. "Honest Ref, I wasn't trying to put him out for the season! Besides if he was a good QB he'd be better at scrambling out of the way!"
posted by commander cody to football at 01:35 AM - 15 comments
August 12, 2006
"I don't know if anyone will ever break our record of five straight Stanley Cup championships: This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the start of the Montreal Canadians fabulous run of 5 straight cups. Jean Beliveau figures one of his records is going to stay in the book for a very long time. "I don't know if anyone will ever break our record of five straight Stanley Cup championships. I know it has been said that records are made to be broken, but with the NHL, the way it is set up today with free agency and all, it will be hard for one team to have a run at five straight Stanley Cups." Is this the hardest record in Major Professional North American Sports to break? Could be.......
posted by skydivedad to hockey at 06:16 PM - 22 comments
UK ban extended to the US: Kieren Fallon has has his ban against racing in the Arlington Million upheld. Despite being allowed to race in many other countries the Illinois racing officials have said they must honour the UK suspension.
posted by Fence to other at 03:40 PM - 6 comments
Cowboy up, Pard. That bull is a Thoroughbred.: It started as a way for working cowboys to blow off some steam. It evolved into the most exciting segment of a rodeo, then went off on its own as the PBR Tour. Now, bull-riding, and more specifically the stock used in the sport, is a multi-million dollar a year study in genetics.
posted by elovrich to other at 12:46 PM - 3 comments
August 11, 2006
Evander Holyfield: is returning to make a run at a record 5th World Heavyweight Championship.
posted by kidrayter2005 to boxing at 11:24 PM - 31 comments
Eddie Johnson is not a child molester.: The other Eddie Johnson is.
posted by mr_crash_davis to basketball at 04:35 PM - 10 comments
Jeremy Mayfield released from ride: Oh well, JM needs to accept that he wasn't doing good and his attitude wasn't real good either. Ray Evernham needed to make changes so he let JM go. JM wants to try and take the team to court over this. What a waste. Get over it Jeremy and move on!
posted by usroute17 to auto racing at 04:25 PM - 21 comments
Todd Parrott back with Robert Yates Racing (RYR): Todd Parrott is coming back to RYR, Parrott helped RYR get its first Championship in 1999 with Dale Jarrett in the #88 Quality Care Ford Taurus Parrott as also Crew Chief for the #38 M&M's Taurus for the Majority of the 2005 Season until early in the Chase they switched Crew Chiefs and helped Jarrett get the first Win of the Season for RYR in the UAW-Ford 500 Todd Parrott wanted to come back to Yates cause he helped build this team [RYR] and wants to help re-build the team [RYR] Todd Parrott was Crew Chief of the #43 Cheerios Dodge Charger for the Majority of the 2006 Season
posted by your-money9388 to auto racing at 03:57 PM - 1 comment
Battle of the Titans: It's kind of like those good old days playing backyard football.
posted by NightingalesGone to football at 12:57 PM - 22 comments
posted by lilnemo to baseball at 12:15 PM - 12 comments
Michael Young, best SS in the majors?: Jeter and Tejada get more ink, but Young has at least as much respect among his peers. Plus, he's a 'good guy'. Opinions?
posted by mjkredliner to baseball at 09:18 AM - 47 comments
Little League controversy: erupts in Utah. Intentional walk of power-hitter during championship game has unintended ramifications.
posted by mr_crash_davis to baseball at 09:06 AM - 62 comments
Return of a legend: more than 20 years after winning gold in the Sarajevo Olympics, Phil Mahre announced his intention to qualify for the 2007 US Nationals.
posted by lil_brown_bat to other at 08:35 AM - 9 comments
Al and Bobby Unser charged with resisting arrest and obstructing officers: "Officer, do you know who i am?"
posted by ptluigi to auto racing at 07:45 AM - 17 comments
BetOnSports Bettors Seek Return of Money: Back in the day when I was still a degenerate gambler (clean of gambling 30 years this September) I don't think I would have stood a chance of stopping if online gambling was available. That said, since this company is based in Costa Rica, I don't see how the Fed's can make them give the money back or confiscate it like they're threatening to. If I was one of their customers I'd just write it off as a bitter learning experience.
posted by commander cody to culture at 12:09 AM - 9 comments
August 10, 2006
Real Madrid: and Barcelona play separate pre-season games in the U.S. and draw a combined 137,000+. In pre-season. In America. The Barcelona-Club America/Houston Dynamo-LA Galaxy doubleheader set a record for largest soccer attendance in Texas at 70,500. I know I'm probably opening a can of worms here: any American non-soccer fans surprised? Anyone from our UK/Ireland/Rest of Europe (aka Italy in SpoFi-speak) contingent surprised?
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY to soccer at 05:34 PM - 12 comments
"Damon has a reputation within baseball clubhouses as being a creepily ardent admirer of his own butt. : Finally, despite his remarkable ability to chase down fly balls in center field, he throws about as well as your 11-year-old niece." The Top Ten Sports Pretty Boys as ranked by Mo Arora of AskMen.com.
posted by mr_crash_davis to culture at 02:07 PM - 37 comments
Lots of Attention. Little Success.: Michelle Wie. Danica Patrick. Lots of ink. No wins.
posted by BlueCarp to general at 12:49 PM - 75 comments
How long, on average, is a baseball actually in play during a ballgame?
posted by dusted to baseball at 11:25 AM - 51 comments
August 09, 2006
Cheaters: Anyone missing from this Most Unwanted List?
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY to general at 05:28 PM - 47 comments
First rule with pitchers is: Handle with care: Bob Ryan has an interesting slant on pitching and its evolution over the past several years. I have never understood why today's pitchers can't start every 4th day, and routinely are pulled after the magic 100 pitch mark. If Warren Spahn could do it, why can't ... (insert name here)?
posted by Howard_T to baseball at 02:27 PM - 27 comments
Why We Hate A-Rod: Eric Neel takes a look at why A-Rod, one of the best baseball players most of us have ever seen, is generally disliked by fans.
posted by bperk to baseball at 11:38 AM - 88 comments
From Bad to Worse for Maurice Clarett: The ex-Ohio State running back was arrested early this morning after a traffic stop. After struggling with officers, Clarett, who is already awaiting trial on robbery charges, was hit with the stun gun, which was ineffective, because he was wearing a bulletpfoof vest. After he was Maced, it still took "several officers" to subdue and cuff Clarett, who was carrying four loaded weapons in his SUV.
posted by The_Black_Hand to other at 06:31 AM - 63 comments
Bengals Fans Can Call 'Jerk"'Hotline: Tired of the drunks and nasty language during the Game? If you're a Bengals fan you can use your cell phone, call the Jerk Hotline, get the offenders investigated and maybe even run out of the stadium, all while the game is being played. Sounds like a great idea to me and it might cut down on fights and just generally boorish behavior from troublemakers.
posted by commander cody to football at 01:44 AM - 30 comments
August 08, 2006
The NFL names former Tagliabue top assistant Roger Goodell new commissioner.: Not much of a surprise there.
posted by Ufez Jones to football at 08:26 PM - 18 comments
Two Years to the Beijing Olympics: Today marks the halfway point between Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008. Swimmer Michael Phelps is off his top conditioning, while others like Brendan Hansen are setting world records. Be sure to check out the updates at the bottom for track and field, basketball, gymnastics, soccer and wrestling.
posted by dusted to other at 03:31 PM - 9 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 9: Fear! Intrigue! Suspense! Single points awarded for preventing a kick return from leaving the endzone! All this and more, inside!
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 03:02 PM - 16 comments
Auker loved to play, talk baseball:
Q: Do you think baseball turned its head on steroid usage?
A: "Sure. Bud Selig is nothing but a puppet for the owners. Bonds has been a real meal ticket for the Giants' owner. As long as Selig is commissioner, Bonds will never get kicked out of baseball. Selig only came up with his silly steroid policy after pressure and the hearings in Washington."
Rest In Peace, Eldin.
posted by wingnut4life to baseball at 10:39 AM - 35 comments
Pre-season Tension: The rugby season will be starting soon, and this article takes a look at the changes in training methods.
posted by Fence to other at 04:01 AM - 7 comments
Fantasy Baseball's Big League Battle: I can see the point of the people who own fantasy baseball team sites, the stats are in the public domain. However, for better or worse, I don't see how MLB can lose a court case that stops fantasy sites from using the players names. MLB does own the rights to the use of the names and they do have a right to protect that. Still, even though I don't play fantasy anything (or at least anything that I can talk about here) many of my friends do and it does seem a little shortsighted of MLB to go this far.
posted by commander cody to baseball at 03:07 AM - 25 comments
August 07, 2006
College Football Rankings - Week 1: Are you ready for some college football? The polls are out. I'm very surprised that Oklahoma is still #5 after having their quarterback tossed for the season.
posted by dbt302 to football at 04:37 PM - 55 comments
NCAA to warn then penalize schools for academic failures: What surprised me most about this is that 111 teams from 72 schools would face these penalties next year. If a 900 APR score translates into about a 50% graduation rate, then I can't understand why that many schools would have trouble meeting it. I know more star players in football for example are moving into the pros after their sophomore or junior years, but the fact is the vast majority of college team players never turn pro and in some cases there isn't even a pro level of their sport, so what's the problem?
posted by commander cody to general at 01:05 AM - 31 comments
August 06, 2006
At 30, Tiger becomes youngest to 50 PGA wins: Unreal accomplishment. What makes it even more amazing is the fact he did it in 3 less years than Jack did it. It is mind boggling to think that Tiger has 50 wins in 196 tournaments (25.5%).
posted by dbt302 to golf at 06:00 PM - 70 comments
After 113 attempts, Jenson Button wins his first race. : In a race that saw both title contenders retire, Jenson Button came from 14th on the grid, having suffered a 10 grid slot penalty for an engine change, to win his first ever race, at the first ever wet running of the Hungarian Grand Prix, after two decades of dry races.
posted by Drood to auto racing at 05:34 PM - 17 comments
Cheers welcome White into Pro Football HOF: The glory of the newest Hall of Famers' achievements was punctuated by a steady stream of tears and a singular chant:
"REG-GIE, REG-GIE."
posted by wingnut4life to football at 06:15 AM - 94 comments
4-time Iditarod Champ Susan Butcher Dies.: Sad news indeed. I always had the greatest of respect for anyone who could make this run and she proved that here was another accomplishment that didn't depend on gender. RIP.
posted by commander cody to extreme at 04:00 AM - 11 comments
August 05, 2006
Landis Likely to Lose Tour Title: Floyd Landis is dismissed by his Phonak team as his B sample returns positive for "excessive amounts of the male sex hormone testosterone." The UCI issue a brief statement and it will be their decision to hand Landis' title to Spaniard Oscar Pereiro.
posted by Mr Bismarck to other at 07:17 AM - 63 comments
August 04, 2006
The end for Jacques?: Villeneuve is not in Hungary for this weekend's Grand Prix, in what looks to be an early and quiet exit from F1. Meanwhile, Québec media are buzzing about the prodigal son coming to NASCAR in 2007. Apparently, there is already a conditional deal with a team. It's silly season all right.
posted by qbert72 to auto racing at 10:10 PM - 5 comments
One idiot replaces another: Step aside folks, because Matt Millen has taken Charlie Casserly's place on the NFL Competition Committee. God help us all
posted by chemwizBsquared to football at 04:14 PM - 24 comments
Going down with the ship: BMX riders face a point of no return when they crash — a moment when they're simply moving too fast in too awkward a position to do anything about the fact that they've lost control. How dangerous is BMX? Dave Mirra will miss the X-games for the first time after lacerating his liver. Ouch!
posted by MrFrisby to extreme at 10:54 AM - 8 comments
A big bang for the buck.: Ten players who will try to bring their "A" game for their new teams, all with salaries around two million.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia to hockey at 10:40 AM - 6 comments
Cricket explained from an American perspective.: I've always been a bit baffled by cricket, and news reports of matches do little to help. If you've ever wondered what's going on, this explains things pretty well.
posted by rocketman to other at 10:22 AM - 18 comments
Verify/claim Team name in yahoo sports NFL SpoFi 2006 Fatasy league: Just want to get a handle on who owns which team, please post your team name inside. Also, there is still room for 5 more owners, get yer franchise while they're hot!!!!
posted by elovrich to fantasy at 10:06 AM - 21 comments
NFL Refs: change uniforms. And it isn't necessarily a good thing. (First link has links to video of presentation of new unis.)
posted by apoch to football at 09:29 AM - 23 comments
Are you ready for some football?: Lots and lots of football? Pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about the NFL on TV this fall.
posted by SummersEve to football at 08:54 AM - 23 comments
Champ Car Driver Hits Deer on the Track: Now here's something you don't see everyday! I've damn near hit deer several times during my wilder (drunken) days running the back country roads of Michigan. But ON a track? Hope he comes out of the coma OK.
posted by commander cody to auto racing at 12:14 AM - 13 comments
August 03, 2006
Viva border volleyball.: No name, no facilities, no parking lot, no lifeguard, no swimming. Human waste, heavy metals, toxic poisons and other industrial effluvia from Mexico. But screw it, let's play some 'ball.
posted by Ufez Jones to other at 11:36 PM - 5 comments
Refereekonomics: - a paper about referee bias and the effect of incentives on the decisions of referees and players by The Sports Economist's Skip Sauer.
posted by Ufez Jones to general at 06:43 PM - 9 comments
Most influential players in NBA History: NBA analyst Charley Rosen provides a fairly comprehensive if not obvious list of players who had the most impact on the game itself. Who's missing?
posted by gradys_kitchen to basketball at 09:02 AM - 45 comments
Bomar gone at OU: OU starting QB and a starting OL are kicked off the team permenantly for allegedly taking payments from a job and not actually doing the work.
posted by scottypup to football at 08:33 AM - 33 comments
Red Sox 3B Lowell on Fidel Castro: "I hope he does die.": Lowell's a Cuban-American whose family has first hand knowledge of the suffering inflicted on many Cubans under the Castro regime.
posted by The_Black_Hand to baseball at 08:19 AM - 102 comments
Dale Jr. is 11th in the Nascar Cup Chase: will Dale Jr make it in the top 10, is he a chip off the old block or just a media darling.
posted by ptluigi to auto racing at 05:22 AM - 20 comments
Yao the eco-warrior.: Yao Ming is coming out with PSAs against the Chinese delicacy of Shark Fin Soup, which can be described, at best, as controversial (somewhat squeamish info here). Additionally, he's teamed up with WildAid to discourage people from buying poached goods from endangered animals (direct .mp4 link to the english version of the commercial here)
posted by Ufez Jones to culture at 01:21 AM - 13 comments
August 02, 2006
Do you like lists?:
Lists about baseball things you always wondered about (extra inning games!) and didn't even consider (teammates of father/son players!).
All from the free historical database of Retrosheet.
posted by grum@work to baseball at 10:12 PM - 23 comments
Rivals.com picks the Top 25.: 2006 Pre-Season College Football Rankings
posted by Clevelander32 to football at 06:56 PM - 34 comments
Baseball's Most Disgraceful Moments: "Here we're interested only in what's at the far end of the embarrassment spectrum, the serious stuff that left a stain on the game that cannot be cleansed."
posted by Joey Michaels to baseball at 04:07 PM - 25 comments
Can you compare apples to oranges?: Bill Simmons gives it a shot with Larry Legend vs. Big Papi.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia to baseball at 02:57 PM - 16 comments
Win or Go Home: The NBA has changed the playoff seeding rules to value won-loss record over winning a division, ending the situation that allowed the best-record Spurs to meet the second-best Mavs in the second round instead of the Western Conference finals.
posted by rcade to basketball at 02:35 PM - 11 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 8: Running late this week. Last week's results and the standings will be up later today, but this week's first game is tomorrow, so go ahead and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 09:50 AM - 20 comments
An exploded view of a Honda F1 car: [via]
posted by yerfatma to auto racing at 06:50 AM - 8 comments
August 01, 2006
You dare sully the good name of Jefferson Davis?!?: An outraged North Carolinian tore Hurricanes jerseys off state monuments during Carolina's run to the Stanley Cup. A charge of injuring the personal property of the state against Davis Jones, 49, was dropped after the team chose not to pursue the case.
posted by wfrazerjr to hockey at 06:08 PM - 60 comments
The New Economics of the MLB Trade Market: A look at flipping MLB players, trading for a player who is going to be a free agent in order to trade him for more down the road, as a new way of exploiting market inefficiencies in baseball.
posted by awrigh01 to baseball at 03:11 PM - 9 comments
Did Roger Clemens deserve a trade back to the Red Sox?: ESPN columnist Jayson "Check Out The Extra 'Y' In My Name" Stark thinks the Astros should have dealt The Rocket to Boston because of his stature as a player and because Houston is out of the race.
posted by wfrazerjr to baseball at 09:17 AM - 80 comments
Barbaro's hopes fade: and Salon wonders if the future of horseracing itself is in doubt.
posted by Fence to other at 07:53 AM - 25 comments
Biggest deal in town -- Ortiz again saves day for Sox: I'm saying it now: David Ortiz is the best hitter, and clutch hitter, I've ever seen. I also understand why the Sox didn't need to make any deadline trades when this guy's in the lineup.
posted by dyams to baseball at 07:07 AM - 75 comments