04/19/24
Archives for August 2003
August 31, 2003
Led by Jeremy Bloom, a student athlete's bill of rights has been proposed in the California legislature that would allow athletes to earn money outside their sport and share in endorsements. ESPN.Com's Ray Ratto says similar efforts are afoot in Nebraska and other states.
posted by rcade to general at 07:21 AM - 12 comments
August 30, 2003
Kelli White: Double Gold... Loser?: What would a track-and-field championships be without a drugs 'scandal'? After taking the women's sprint double, Kelli White now faces forfeiting her medals after a urine sample turned up traces of the 'psycho-motor stimulant' modafinil. [more inside]
posted by etagloh to other at 06:26 PM - 9 comments
August 29, 2003
"An all-timer" : is how one veteran described Larry Bowa's tirade after the Phillies completed a 1-9 road trip. The manager blow up: the best of baseball.
posted by garfield to baseball at 01:45 PM - 4 comments
Joe Morgan says that wins are more important than ERA for a pitcher in determining the Cy Young award. While I would certainly agree that wins should be factored into the equation for starting pitchers, I think the emphasis he places on them is misguided. See also his chat wrap for his attempts to explain this further (in his answer to the first question and in the last paragraph).
It is interesting (and has been commented on a lot post-Moneyball) how past players typically put emphasis on things that statistical analysis suggests are insignificant (e.g., clutch hitting). Earlier in the season, on Baseball Tonight, when asked which of the game's young shortstops he would take if starting a team, Harold Reynolds said he would take Jeter over A-Rod because Jeter is a "character guy" and a "proven winner." Peter Gammons intimated that not only would he take A-Rod over Jeter, he would take Edgar Renteria over Jeter. Ouch.
posted by holden to baseball at 01:23 PM - 57 comments
Manchester City "steals" Claudio Reyna from Fulham.: The American team captain was on his way from Sunderland (last season's worst EPL team, relegated to the First Division this season) to Fulham on a 2.5mil pound deal. He was at the Fulham stadium having his picture taken in a Fulham jersey. He had discussions with the manager. Hours later, he was a Man City player, for the same transfer price. I wonder what about Man City's deal was better on personal terms? Does Reyna consider Man City (#4, 3 games, 2 wins and a draw) less likely to drop to the First Division than Fulham (#12, 2 games, 1 win, 1 loss)? Reyna will be a good playmaker option for Man City as long as he can beat his injury bug. I think it's great an American player (altho an "old" one) gets another chance at playing on the big stage, but this kind of looks mercenary, doesn't it?
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 12:10 PM - 19 comments
BoSox vs Yankees: Are you ready for some baseball?
posted by cg1001a to baseball at 11:18 AM - 20 comments
August 28, 2003
Phil Mickelson wants to pitch for the Mud Hens: "Mickelson is scheduled to have a tryout Friday with Toledo, the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, with hopes of pitching for the Mud Hens this weekend." Maybe he should just pitch for the Tigers. Definition of a mudhen.
posted by munger to baseball at 11:50 PM - 13 comments
Kobe II?: Florida Marlins backup catcher Ramon Castro was arrested and jailed today on a charge of rape after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in his hotel room.
Champions League Draw.: Now that Newcastle has exited to the UEFA Cup a bit earlier than last year, the draw is set. Arsenal look set to travel quite a bit, Manchester United will play at least one not too far away, and one of Chelsea's newly bought superstars will face a former team. Thoughts? Predictions?
posted by trox to soccer at 10:14 AM - 12 comments
10 reasons why life is better with Fantasy Football. : I've been a fan of the NFL for decades, but fantasy football has racheted my interest in the game 1000%. I probably would still have no idea who Freddie Jones was if I hadn't spent the 2001 season cursing his lack of production. Graham Hays really captures how fantasy sports makes old fans learn new tricks.
posted by danostuporstar to culture at 09:28 AM - 11 comments
August 27, 2003
The NBA coaching carousel spins (at kind of a weird time). Isiah Thomas is fired by the Indiana Pacers . Rick Carlisle (stunningly dumped by the Pistons earlier this summer) is the likely replacement.
posted by gspm to basketball at 04:45 PM - 29 comments
"It does far more than cast doubt on the legitimacy... It totally destroys it.": It has been revealed that new world 400 metres champion Jerome Young won an Olympic gold medal in the 4x100m relay in Sydney in 2000, despite having tested positive for steroids in 1999. The revelations once again cast a further shadow on the attitude of USA Track and Field towards drug testing of athletes in the late 1990s, in contravention of IAAF rules. It also means that drug-free American athletes remain under international suspicion, thanks to the attitude of their governing body.
posted by etagloh to other at 08:57 AM - 18 comments
August 26, 2003
The Padres make their move to fill seats next year.: It's been a busy season of trades in baseball, and it's not over yet. The Pirates are still expected to move Jason Kendall and Reggie Sanders, and Rondell White just landed with the Royals. What was the best move made this year, and who should your team go out and get?
posted by wfrazerjr to baseball at 04:55 PM - 18 comments
Russian Smertin joins Roman revolution.: Chelski at it again eh? £3.5 million for the 28 year old mid-fielder from Bordeaux isn't bad. Oh, they also picked up this Crespo fella at £18 million from Inter Milan.
posted by lilnemo to soccer at 02:53 PM - 22 comments
Former champions campaigning against racket power.: McEnroe, Boris "Boom-Boom" Becker, Navratilova, among others, are challenging the International Tennis Federation impose greater restrictions on tennis racket design. The power that modern rackets provide is accused of virtually killing the serve-and-volley game in men's tennis, turning everyone into boring baseliners. The women's game, however, appears to be benefiting. Will restricting rackets make for more interesting tennis?
posted by worldcup2002 to tennis at 12:48 PM - 10 comments
Blind man calls game. (NPR audio feed, RealAudio or WMP): Alan Tomlinson reports from St. Petersburg, Fla., on Enrique Oliu, a blind man who does Spanish radio commentary on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Oliu calls the game with the help of his wife and his remarkable memory for baseball statistics. I awoke to this story playing out on the radio this morning. I thought it was sweet.
posted by worldcup2002 to baseball at 12:25 PM - 4 comments
Romanowski knocks teammate out six weeks with a punch.: Known his entire career as a dirty player, this biography fills in some details you might not want to know.
posted by dusted to football at 11:19 AM - 23 comments
Attaboy describes the tough position that new coach Jack Del Rio and the Jacksonville Jaguars find themselves in -- with Jimmy Smith suspended, Mark Brunell shopped, Tony Brackens sidelined, and fans disinterested after three losing seasons. Is my hometown team still being punished by the football gods for producing "Uh Oh -- the Jaguars Super Bowl Song" in 1999?
posted by rcade to football at 08:41 AM - 9 comments
What has the Stanley Cup been up to in the offseason? The usual. Parades. TV appearances. A rally. Museum opening. A day spent with each New Jersey Devils team member for typical jaunts to the cottage for some volleyball and golf and less typical jaunts for ice cream and poutine. And of course there was also that adventurous trip to Slovakia... (props to the Hockey Pundits)
posted by gspm to hockey at 04:29 AM - 27 comments
August 25, 2003
The Museum of Early Baseball Memorabilia: A very thorough site with pages for advertisements, photographs, woodcuts, and much much more. (via plep)
posted by Ufez Jones to baseball at 04:25 PM - 3 comments
According to FIBA: at the Panamerican Qualifiers the Argentines sit atop group A, and the American's top group B. The Virgin Islands and Uruguay both appear on their way out. And they're warming up on the other side of the pond. More inside...
posted by lilnemo to other at 03:49 PM - 8 comments
Why men don't watch women's sports.: I just know we can have some intelligent discourse about this topic! This well thought out and funny article is a good starting point. The writer makes a great point when he notes that those men who won't watch women's sports because "they're just not good enough" will still watch the Little League World Series. Ouch. Guilty as charged.
posted by vito90 to culture at 09:04 AM - 20 comments
Pete Sampras, who is perhaps the most relentlessly boring athlete to ever dominate an individual sport, bows out from tennis today with little fanfare.
posted by rcade to tennis at 08:13 AM - 5 comments
Pedro's Pissed... Again.: Since he called in sick last week, the already estranged marriage of Pedro and the Boston Media has simply become irreconcilable. Media has mentioned that Pedro should have been at the park come hell or high water, and then some cited instances where Michael Jordan (and other world-class athletes) triumped over their ailments. And still, other local outlets have been supporting Martinez and recalling his past mettle. Pedro unleashed a tirade against the media Saturday (username: sportsfilter, pw: sportsfilter). There are rumors (I haven't been able to find a citable source as of yet) that angry Pedro has demanded a trade and/or has mentioned something about taking his 17mil next year and leaving the organization as a free agent. More inside...
posted by jerseygirl to baseball at 01:24 AM - 15 comments
August 24, 2003
At the World Championships in France, U.S. sprinter John Drummond was disqualified under an odd new false-start rule and protested by laying on the track for five minutes (AP link).
posted by rcade to other at 04:24 PM - 5 comments
August 23, 2003
Bobby Bonds, a legendary "30-30 player" better known today as a dad, has died at age 57. The already updated Wikipedia points out one of his noteworthy achievements: Bobby was baseball's first 300 home run, 400 stolen base player (and Barry was the second).
posted by rcade to baseball at 04:35 PM - 9 comments
Empty Handed.: Former Negro League players and their families face difficult times without an MLB pension or royalties from sales of Negro League apparel. (long, minor WashPost registration required)
posted by Mookieproof to baseball at 11:53 AM - 5 comments
University of New Mexico backup placekicker Katie Hnida, the first female to play in a Division I college football game, has gone public with some allegations of mistreatment while suiting up for Colorado in 1999: "In one instance, she said, a Colorado quarterback would throw footballs at her head while she practiced kicking field goals."
posted by rcade to football at 09:10 AM - 2 comments
Former Olympian trying for comeback after 20 years: If you are over 40 and have Olympic dreams, it is not too late. John Stillings quit his sport after winning a bitter Silver in 1984. Now something changed inside of him and he is trying out for the 2004 Olympics, against athletes half his age. It is funny what a little change of attitude will do for you.
posted by sprezzatura to other at 01:58 AM - 1 comment
August 22, 2003
Anna, Amazon, Apparel.: Amazon.com is testing an online sporting goods store. And what better way than to do it with Anna. "This Shock Absorber sports bra was designed especially for Anna Kournikova, because only the ball should bounce." (Amazon homepage) You just can't make up this stuff anymore. I, for one, welcome the sports bra overlords. (Hey, it's Friday.)
posted by worldcup2002 to culture at 08:56 PM - 4 comments
"I almost came out and told you about the little voice inside my head whispering insistently that, finally, this was the year." -- weblogger and Red Sox fan Michael Feldman. Is it any coincidence that the baseball teams with the most webloggers on BaseballBlogs are the wait-'til-next-year Red Sox and Cubs?
posted by rcade to baseball at 06:41 PM - 3 comments
Are Big Little Leaguers (not older, mind you, but BIGGER) making the Little League World Series unfair? Anybody catch the barnburner of a game between MA and TX yesterday? MA won 14-13 in the bottom of the seventh on a tough call at first. I bet it was the best game played anywhere yesterday...
posted by vito90 to baseball at 08:35 AM - 14 comments
August 21, 2003
Audiotapes of Rick Neuheisel prove that he lied numerous times regarding his participation in a high-stakes betting pool on the NCAA basketball tournament. Who does he think he is, Dave Bliss?
posted by rcade to football at 08:32 PM - 2 comments
Whoah, waitaminute... there's an ESPN Gamer site?: When the hell did that happen? Oh. An entire site devoted to the unholy menage a trois of Sports, Gaming, and Marketing? Aside from not even knowing it exists from the ESPN front page, have video games become a solid supplement of fandom... or is it close to being more important than the real thing? Between video games and fantasy leagues, it seems to me fewer and fewer are concerned about the actual thing. I should know, I could give a flip less about who wins the championship as long as I have a good Fantasy/Video Gaming season.
posted by Stan Chin to culture at 07:34 PM - 14 comments
Stoked :: A tale of Gator's fall from the acme of 80s skateboarding....and what a gruesome fall it was.
posted by garfield to other at 12:31 PM - 8 comments
'My White Slave' and other family favorites: are supposedly part of Brent Worthington's x-rated home video collection of himself and Scottie Pippen, while both attended Central Arkansas University. Anyone have a more reliable source for this story. And is there even a school of that name?
posted by garfield to basketball at 09:04 AM - 35 comments
Just in case...: ...you ever wondered what it was like to put on a big-ass sausage costume and run in a race wearing it. Yes, it's a first-person account of the Milwaukee Brewers' Sausage Race!
posted by Jaquandor to culture at 07:25 AM - 3 comments
August 20, 2003
"The Bus" stops here.: Bettis relegated to the bench, even after an active (supposedly) offseason. Is Cowher playing mind games to fire up the troops? Camp hasn't been pretty up in Steel town. But bench the Bus? Anyone have a read on this? Are the Steelers truly becoming a "pass-first" team?
posted by lilnemo to football at 03:36 PM - 6 comments
You've got to get wood on the sweet spot.: Salon reviews "a romance novel containing both explicit sex scenes and baseball" revolving around a fictional team based on the Red Sox Class A affiliate Lowell Spinners.
posted by kirkaracha to culture at 02:25 PM - 0 comments
A Dallas jury has sentenced former Dallas Cowboy Dwayne Goodrich to seven and a half years for the hit-and-run killing of two men on a local highway in January. The two men were attempting to help pull a man out of a burning car. Goodrich is out on $150,000 bond while waiting for an appeal. One of the more disturbing elements, however, is that Goodrich has told his main attorney that he's been contacted by "six or seven" NFL teams interested in giving Goodrich a tryout.
posted by Ufez Jones to football at 09:24 AM - 4 comments
Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly, who five months ago marveled at the "ozone-piercing potential" of Kobe Bryant, now describes how far he could fall if found guilty of rape. "Colorado sex-offense statutes are probably the harshest in the country," a Denver trial attorney says. "There's no worse place to commit a sex crime."
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:15 AM - 10 comments
Much to the chagrin of José Canseco's dad, a Miami Herald columnist interviewed several residents of the city's José Canseco Street who want the name to be changed. "You see him on television and he's blinking his eyes all the time," says one. "I don't know, maybe he's lost his mind.''
posted by rcade to baseball at 07:07 AM - 3 comments
CuJo breaks his ankle.: Talk about going from bad to worse. Joseph had to be sitting around waiting for a trade after Hasek returned to the Red Wings and now... he picks up a big injury and could be out for months. Who wants to trade for a goalie that will cost $8 million but won't be available until after Christmas? Bad break.
posted by gspm to hockey at 06:37 AM - 42 comments
August 19, 2003
The Homeless World Cup.: Interesting angle in helping the world's homeless. As seen on HBO Real Sports. Mary Carillo reports that there were even groupies!
posted by usfbull to soccer at 09:40 PM - 6 comments
Rocket to Athens?: Roger Clemens wants to pitch for Team USA during the 2004 Olympics next August after he retires at the end of this season. [via New York Times]
posted by kirkaracha to baseball at 08:54 PM - 5 comments
Terry Frei goes off!!!: Are his comparisons to basketball and football accurate? I got a warm and fuzzy feeling as I read, sas though the words cleansed away the months of lebron mania. ('Melo is the real story, anyway)
posted by garfield to culture at 01:58 PM - 6 comments
Flash Tuesday? Sure, why not? Play Bad Boy Bowls, a little painful, a little fun, a lot of lawn bowls (lawn bowling?). Apparently a promo for this movie.
posted by Ufez Jones to other at 01:42 PM - 3 comments
GS Warriors meet your new GM: Chris Mullin. ...or is he?: I like his moves so far (if they are his). I don't know how the current pieces will fit, but the cap potential is tremendous! Maybe he'll hire on Mitch Richmond, and Tim Hardaway as consultants. Run TMC! The Executive Edition! Imagine it: Timmy Two-Step at the PIT or Moody Bible Institute watching draft prospects, telling Chris, "That boyz got skeeelz!" Maybe there is hope for the Warriors fans. or not....
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 12:14 PM - 6 comments
ESPN is heavily promoting their original new series "Playmakers". It looks pretty interesting to me...better than Arli$$ anyway. Are you going to watch it?
posted by vito90 to culture at 09:01 AM - 27 comments
August 18, 2003
Rascally Varmint!: Not sure why I got such a kick out of this story, but a driver's duel that results in crashs and fisticuffs just might be a deep-seeded fantasy. And Busch's "decrepit old has-been" comment is pretty sweet. A classic new school vs. old school feud, replete with backwoods flavor.
posted by garfield to other at 03:32 PM - 16 comments
You can't go home again, at least not if you're an entrepreneurial bookie who moved to Costa Rica to start your own Internet Sports bookmaking operation. N.Y. Times Magazine, registration required and wholly worthwhile...
posted by vito90 to culture at 02:14 PM - 3 comments
Summer reading. In my recent visits to bookstores, I've noticed four literary sports books, i.e., fiction about sports. I don't think I've seen that many before.
(Warning: Amazon links)
1. The Complete Office Golf (David Owen): since most people have to work at exactly the best golfing hours, and since when they're not working courses tend to be the most crowded, they need to find a way to bring their game to the office with them. But how? Owens supplies a fully illustrated, often hilarious instruction manual.
2. Bleachers (John Grisham!): Coming soon.
3. Tennis and the Meaning of Life: A Literary Anthology of the Game (Jay Jennings)
Anyone read these? I don't have time to read them all, so which one would you recommend to read first?
posted by worldcup2002 to culture at 01:30 PM - 5 comments
Ten superb pics.: That's all. As you were.
posted by Fat Buddha to culture at 12:24 PM - 32 comments
Patrick Dennehy's murder, already one of the most sordid stories in collegiate athletics, got worse over the weekend with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram report of audiotapes where Dave Bliss, his coach, plotted to smear Dennehy's name to save his ass. "Dennehy is never going to refute what we say," Bliss told assistant coach Abar Rouse, who had begun taping their meetings after being threatened with his job if he didn't participate in the scheme.
posted by rcade to basketball at 11:52 AM - 9 comments
Dallas does what its best at. Building the good-old boys' network.: The Dallas Stars open up their own country club and give all the current season-ticket holders free membership. Now that's how you market a team to people who aren't (yet) fans, but have a lotta cash.
posted by diastematic to hockey at 10:46 AM - 4 comments
How to stay up in ten easy stages.: The guardian is back, with a host of special reports.
posted by BigCalm to soccer at 07:10 AM - 8 comments
August 17, 2003
Vick Breaks Leg. Ludacris furiously writes new lyrics about Doug"izzle Sizzle" Johnson.: Arthur Blank signs up for "Do-It-Yourself Caulking the Fibula clinic" at local Home Depot. We'll always have Madden.
posted by Stan Chin to football at 01:33 AM - 9 comments
August 16, 2003
The Lost Art of Bunting: The New York Times looks at ballplayers' declining interest in bunting, and stats that say that bunting reduces the chance of scoring.
posted by kirkaracha to baseball at 06:58 PM - 0 comments
Jamison and Van Excel switching places.: Along with 6 other players. This clears up the front court log jam for the Warriors and the Mavs get another scorer (just what they need).
posted by corpse to basketball at 09:20 AM - 11 comments
August 15, 2003
Did any one see this?: This AP story is probably one of the most retarded things I have ever read. What exactly is being said, that these things happen because the players are employed by the Laker Organization? That the Lakers attract such occurances? Is it because the Lakers are in a bigger market? Or could it possibly be (most likely), just players being who they are regardless of their affiliations?
Nice quote from "The Silk-Man" though...
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 07:51 PM - 10 comments
NBA Draft 2001; The Green Reach, Or The Picks That Wouldn't Die...: Joe Forte may not last through his rookie contract. Ouch. Let's jump into the wayback machine and discuss what the hell happened to the Celts draft class of 2001. Or should I say, whats left of it. Is this the worst series of picks by one team in a single draft? What are your favorite draft snafus, reaches, or horror stories?More inside...
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 03:17 PM - 4 comments
Some football-mad men 'prefer footie to nookie': — Twenty-five percent of those surveyed said they would rather watch soccer than spend time with their family. And apparently Wolves fans are more likely to prefer football to sex than supporters of other teams. But then again the survey also showed that Wolves fans watch more football than most others. I can somewhat understand (actually not) that some folks may wish to watch a match instead of sex, but apparently 33% of men refrain from having sex before watching a big match. I mean, it's not like they are playing the game themselves.
posted by scully to soccer at 02:20 PM - 10 comments
Madden. Sports' new arbiter of cool (if, by sports, you are talking about helmet football).
posted by gspm to football at 11:58 AM - 27 comments
Conspiracy theorists, on your mark...get set...: Go figure, eh? What are the odds. Eerie, just plain eerie.
posted by garfield to basketball at 09:11 AM - 7 comments
August 14, 2003
Do genes determine whether you will be an Olympian or not?: "Australian researchers studied athletes at Canberra's Australian Institute of Sport, a national Olympic athlete training center. The researchers found that a gene called alpha-actinin can make runners better at either sprinting or endurance, depending on which version of the gene they have. ... They found that sprinters tend to have one version of the gene, alpha-actinin-3 or ACTN3, while long-distance runners tend to have a different version, ACTN2." Huh. I guess I must have the gene LAZY1.
posted by worldcup2002 to other at 09:09 PM - 4 comments
How bad's your EPL Team?: At long last, the EPL season proper is two days away, and the Guardian is posting fans' pessismistic assumptions about their teams fortunes (parts 1, 2, and 3). We have a pretty good spread of supporters here, what are your pessimistic projections for your teams?
posted by trox to soccer at 05:10 PM - 32 comments
[weblog as conversation] So, Red Sox Nation, please tell me: are you happy with your Theo Epstein-Bill James-Bill Mueller 2003 Sox? Or are the 'New Baseball' ideas (by Scott Ostler) kooky? Great line about James: he's kept "in the background, like the zany uncle who does birdcalls."
posted by msacheson to baseball at 11:07 AM - 9 comments
Byears commits bi-crime.: It fits the definition of sexual assault, but its not something you hear often.
posted by garfield to basketball at 10:09 AM - 9 comments
August 13, 2003
Tuesday Morning Quarterback is back,: with, distressingly, even more non-football commentary than has been usual lately. And then there's this picture of an insane-looking Winona Ryder.
posted by kirkaracha to football at 02:05 PM - 7 comments
Some interesting facts: about everyone's favorite tennis star. Personally, her #1 ranking on FHM's list was complete bs. She is hot, but there are alot of models/singers/actresses that are alot better.
posted by dales15 to tennis at 01:52 PM - 54 comments
Eight Division 3 schools may lose: their Division 1 status if this legislation goes through. I understand the D3 notion that they want to ensure academic integrity and "pure student-athletes" but I think 8 schools that have traditionally played this route including several that have won or competed for national titles (Hopkins, most prominently, but Hartwick, Colorado, etc.) and maintained high standards is a worthy exception.
Michael Johnson speaks out on the Athens 2004 Olympics: saying that they will "pale in comparison" to Sydney's 2000 Games. He also says that he can see the IOC offering prize money to medalists, something Johnson "wouldn't disagree" to. (more inside).
posted by Ufez Jones to other at 11:02 AM - 13 comments
August 12, 2003
What really happened to Ted Williams?: The COO of Alcor resigned after telling Sports Illustrated that Ted Williams' body has been damaged. Williams' head has been separated from his body, shaved and drilled with holes, and was accidentally cracked as many as 10 times due to fluctuating storage temperatures. A companion article provides background on the increasingly bizarre chain of events, including nonpayment of bills and John Henry Williams' baseball aspirations.
posted by dusted to baseball at 05:35 PM - 7 comments
Great boxer, greater tragedy.: Wilfred Benitez, a world champion at 17 and participant in epic bouts with Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran, now sits addled-brained and destitute in a Puerto Rican private hospital. Yet another sad victim of boxing (although, as the article points out, his dad shares some of the blame).
7-41-3 : Not exactly a record the says 'winner', and in reality breathes the last breath of an 'opponent.' A sad story, and one I'd only seen in the movies.
posted by garfield to boxing at 08:45 AM - 13 comments
Pete Rose back in baseball in 2004: ....according to the good folks at baseball prospectus
posted by oliver_crunk to baseball at 08:36 AM - 27 comments
August 11, 2003
Big Daddy in Green Bay?: Gilbert Brown goes down, and look who is available: Dan Wilkinson. Is it serendipity? Not quite. Big Daddy's got a few suitors, including the Redskins (whom let him go). I don't think 'Daddy to the Bay' is a done deal. But I sure as hell don't think he wants back with the 'Skins. Which team is your money on in the "Big Daddy Sweepstakes"? New England, Green Bay, Detroit, or (snicker) Washington?
Herb Brooks killed in car crash: Former Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks, who led the United States to the ``Miracle on Ice'' victory over the Soviet Union, died Monday in a car accident, a state official said. This is a sad day for all hockey fans, especially here in Minnesota where Herb Brooks was our hockey god.
posted by emoeby to hockey at 05:31 PM - 6 comments
One in five elite male athletes have poor body image.: "Some male athletes see pictures in men's fitness magazines of big, extremely muscular men and feel that they don't measure up." You have got to be kidding me.
posted by worldcup2002 to culture at 02:44 PM - 5 comments
He's back.: The mercurial, flamboyant, majestic, short-tempered, controversial footballing God that is Paulo di Canio signs a deal with Charlton Athletic having been released by West Ham at the end of the season. Most famous for pushing referee Paul Alcock to the ground whilst playing for Sheffield Wednesday, he followed this low point in his career by winning the Fifa Fair Play award and scoring the goal of the season whilst at West Ham. He also made Fabien Barthez look like a complete muppet (as if Barthez needed any help). I for one, welcome back our Italian overlord.
posted by squealy to soccer at 01:11 PM - 18 comments
It's one of the rarest plays in baseball...: and Rafael Furcal made it look easy. It was enough to make me drop the phone and yell at the TV, which I rank as a pretty cool moment. What's the coolest baseball moment of your life, either playing, on TV or in person?
posted by wfrazerjr to baseball at 01:04 PM - 22 comments
19th Century Baseball : is alive and well at Genesee Country Museum in New York. Each weekend, teams square off in replica jerseys. Equiptment and rules are exactly what you would have found in 1866. Much has changed since 1866 ... check out era related baseball slang. This isn't the only vintage baseball league ... there's more in Long Island, Burlington, Scarbourough, and Massachusetts. Want to start your own club? Try visiting the Vintage Baseball Association.
posted by jasonspaceman to baseball at 11:47 AM - 5 comments
August 09, 2003
Would this move strengthen the Eastern Conference?: After signing Kidd, Harris and Mourning to multi-year deals it was pretty obvious that Kenyon was going to have to accept a bit less than the MAX. In lieu of that, doesn't this trade proposal look a bit one sided? Rasheed is just as prone to technicals as Kenyon, but is obviously a more skilled (if not taller) player. Sure, getting rid of Patterson would be nice, but its more likely that the Nets ask for Sabonis. Dikembe at this point is a throw-in with Mourning in NJ.
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 04:15 PM - 10 comments
From OJ to Kobe: I don't know that I agree with all of Jason Whitlock's analysis, but I certainly feel that his tone is correct. This Kobe trial is not of substance. I don't think anyone thinks that Kobe is a rapist, at least in the sense of the violent crime of rape. Rich celebrities having sex with groupies/available women is not anything new. At least in OJ's case the Trial of the Century was unique; never before had murder, celebrity, and race intersected like that. But this Kobe trial is just people staring at a train wreck, with the media providing blow-by-blow details.
posted by cg1001a to general at 11:54 AM - 13 comments
August 08, 2003
Sports Wives.: The Good(?), The Bad, The Ugly. Aside from the fact that their significant others are rich and famous, what makes these relationships different from anyone elses? [More inside]
posted by lilnemo to culture at 05:06 PM - 9 comments
Premiership League Team Guide.: With just over a week until the start of the EPL 2003-04 season, ESPN Soccernet publishes their individual "profile" pages for each of the 20 EPL teams. A quick read containing links to official and fan sites, analysis of last season's performance, summer transfers, players to watch, youth prospects, team chances for success, and substantial space dedicated to fan commentary. If you're a newbie to the EPL, or haven't decided which team you'll support, this might be a good place to start. If you're an old hand, see if you agree or disagree, or better still, if you learn something new.
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:29 PM - 11 comments
Sky spends £1.024bn on the rights to live broadcasts of three years of English Premiership games starting from 2004/2005. So much for the plan to share the love.
posted by gspm to soccer at 11:58 AM - 14 comments
Have you heard of her?: I've always loved the underdog, the diamond in the rough if you will. So I naturally checked to see what I was missing when it comes to Paula Marti in shorts. But then I found Carlie 'mid-riff' Butler. That's an attention holding tee-shot if I ever saw one. This LPGA thing might actually be worth watching after tweaking the broadcast to my demographic.
posted by garfield to golf at 11:51 AM - 14 comments
Shockey calls Parcells "the homo".: I have to admit, I can't help but laugh when pro athletes start busting out kindergarten insults. Not because it's cool; because it's funny to see grown men act like five year olds. Reminds me of Stephon Marbury's tirade that the Knicks would never, ever, ever win a championship with Charlie Ward. What are your favorite sports outbursts?
posted by Mike McD to football at 09:51 AM - 26 comments
Friday, game on! Predictably, I suck at this really fun game that's a combination of Pong, breakout, and Arkanoid. How far can you get?
posted by vito90 to other at 08:21 AM - 4 comments
August 07, 2003
"We've got a group of us who want to make this a team. Donald Sterling has to marry one of us to his team.": That's what you like to hear from your star player, not this. What changed in the last six months? Odom is one of the few Clippers who seemed to genuinely want to stay, even through all the losing. Was it just more p.c. contract pandering? Any one else tired of this kind of crap happening? " To sign somebody back out of spite is gutless and is sorry. " No Lamar, ditching fans who've supported you on a losing team even through your personal problems is "gutless and is sorry."
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 10:03 PM - 8 comments
Canada off the 2004 Formula One Calendar: It happened to Belgium and now it's happening to Montreal. Anti-tobacco legislation is driving F1 of its traditional stronghold markets. The hubris displayed by the controller of the sport, Bernard Ecclestone, looks like it might send F1 's popularity in Europe down the crapper, especially with his constant threats to the British GP.
The Belgian government is scrambling to get SPA back on the F1 schedule. But with the Canadian government not batting an eye as the Players racing program is shut down, ending a driver development program that has produced the likes of Jacques Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier. So hopes for the future of the Canadian Grand Prix look rather dim.
So the question is, do you know of anyone who started smoking because of a logo on a race car?
posted by Space Coyote to other at 06:16 PM - 10 comments
In honor of the California recall campaign, Gino Bona devotes Page Two to 12 professional team owners that need to be recalled. For my money, I think the Tribune Corp. (keepers of the Chicago Cubs) are the only ones missing, and evidently I'm not alone.
posted by vito90 to general at 10:06 AM - 16 comments
August 06, 2003
The Armando Experiment ends quickly : as the Yankees ship Benitez to the Mariners... for ex-Yankee Jeff Nelson. I wasn't a Benitez-hater like most, but I smiled when I saw this. Nelson was a great pitcher and important piece of the puzzle in the championships (albeit a jerk) and it's good to have him back. Any chance the Mets will field offers for Mike Stanton now?
posted by Bernreuther to baseball at 04:38 PM - 30 comments
Veron set for Chelsea Medical.: Man U lets another player go. This time with a little less fanfare. I recall some "whipers" that Ferguson didn't much like Beckham getting as much credit as he did for the club's success. Sans Beckham and Veron will Ferguson get his "due"? Or does this change anything at all?
posted by lilnemo to soccer at 01:53 PM - 16 comments
The New York Mets have halted negotiations with draft pick Lastings Milledge because of accusations he had sex as a 16-year-old high school student with 12- and 13-year-old girls.
posted by rcade to baseball at 07:07 AM - 43 comments
August 05, 2003
NFL Network: Coming November 4 to a cable TV near you (if you're in North America). The president and CEO is former ESPN CEO Steve Bornstein and former ESPN anchor Rich Eisen will be lead anchor. The Washington Post has a good overview, and NFL.com has answers to all your questions. [more inside]
posted by kirkaracha to football at 08:29 PM - 17 comments
Keon's on the move again.: He's been traded along with 2 future 2nd rounders to Utah for a future Second Round Pick. This is Keon's 4th team in 5 years. The AP reports its a move to free up salary to resign Jim Jackson. Though the T'Wolves are making a push. I know this is a salary cap move but sheesh, Keon's only worth ONE SECOND ROUNDER?and cap space...
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 05:08 PM - 11 comments
Detroit trying to improve its image: for the 2006 Super Bowl. They have a long way to go and will probably have to dock ships to compensate for inadequate hotel space.
posted by dales15 to football at 03:14 PM - 5 comments
Virtus Bologna Barred from Italian League.: I'm not quite sure why they didn't opt to pay Sani but all the same this is a shocker. For you NBA draftniks this is the same team which brought you Rasho Nesterovic, Marko Jaric, Antoine Rigadeau and Manu Ginobili. Will this effect the Euroleague? Will Vujanic and Skipper Bologna lead the Italian League? Or will Edney and Benetton?
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 01:57 PM - 20 comments
Move over, homicidal hockey dad: A tennis father in France is accused of drugging his son's on-court rivals, killing one.
posted by rcade to tennis at 01:24 PM - 8 comments
Pauley Pavillion Floor to be named "John and Nell Wooden Court".: This is a nice gesture. With the purging of Harrick, then Lavin. And the subsequent hiring of Howland, things are looking up at UCLA. If only they could do something about student seating. By the by, Wooden retired in 1975, and is now 92. What took them so long to make this gesture?
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 11:39 AM - 6 comments
“In a fowl mood? Let Harry the Hawk give you a lift. I’m 7’2”, furry and am looking for shenanigans.”: This post is SFW. An interesting (if short) look behind the scenes, or behind the massive noggins of mascots. Who'd have thought mascots were so lonely? Anyone have a favorite fan/mascot moment?
posted by lilnemo to culture at 11:27 AM - 8 comments
English Division One preview.: Each year, the Watford fanzine Blind, Stupid & Desperate polls fans of the other teams in it's division. The results are now available. Not surprisingly, fans are always too optimistic about their chances of success. Bookies favourites West Ham and West Brom are the most optimistic teams, unsurprisingly. And in a shock development, it appears that Murdock is the fans' favourite A-Team character.
posted by salmacis to football at 10:52 AM - 6 comments
Former champ left with only chump change. Tyson declares bankruptcy...
posted by vito90 to boxing at 09:58 AM - 7 comments
A bellman at the Colorado lodge told police that Kobe Bryant's alleged rape victim was "visibly upset, disheveled and had red marks on her neck and face" shortly after she left his room, according to an ESPN report. In other news related to the case, Bryant has lost a sponsor.
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:52 AM - 30 comments
Dan Cook has written his last column, ending a 51-year run in the San Antonio Express-News. His claim to fame -- during the 1978 NBA Finals, Cook coined the expression, "the opera ain't over till the fat lady sings."
posted by rcade to general at 08:14 AM - 9 comments
August 04, 2003
And you thought the Clippers were serious this year?: Olden Polynice has found his way back into the league. Cops and Caddies beware. Is penny-pinching Sterling messing with us Closet-Clip fans? Where is Lamar Odom's contract?
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 07:26 PM - 2 comments
Is this the answer?: Admittedly the Dodgers hitting has been downright atrocious for stretches this season. But who's to blame? Clark or the players? Is this really a "fresh start"? Or is it yet another indictment of modern baseball? As far the Dodgers are concerned I think so.
posted by lilnemo to baseball at 06:43 PM - 7 comments
At least they found it before they had to print its picture on milk cartons.: For several hours, the Stanley Cup crossed over into that mythical realm where Jimmy Hoffa's body, Saddam's WMDs, the "real killers", and various Martian probes have all vanished. But the Cup returned. Whew!
posted by Jaquandor to hockey at 06:04 PM - 17 comments
The retro jersey craze continues,: I was never a fan of wearing jerseys unless its a game day (and not the biggest fan of that), and hate when people wear them strictly as fashion item. Case in point, a 16-year old walking around NYC in a George McGuiness Pacers jersey, who no doubt has no idea who McGuiness was and probably had never heard of him prior to seeing the jersey. That may not be the case for some of the athletes paying homage to those who have gone before them, but I think it is for the average kid on the street.
posted by dales15 to culture at 04:39 PM - 5 comments
"There was clearly a time when the East dominated, and I didn't hear all the carping about the imbalance in power.": Re-seeding the NBA playoffs? Blasphemy or ratings magnet? This guy has a proposal that sounds a bit like soccerfilter to me. But I think he's fooling. Or is he? Does someone need to wake-up Paul Pierce & Antoine Walker so we can go back to a Lakers-Celtics final?
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 04:32 PM - 2 comments
Go, Nads!: College athletic teams' nicknames, including the Rhode Island School of Design Nads.
[via MetaFilter]
posted by kirkaracha to culture at 03:59 PM - 7 comments
Couch VS. Holcomb II: Electric Boogaloo?: Summer signings got ya down? What's your favorite QB controversy, or tet a tete? The aforementioned Couch vs. Holcomb? Maddox vs. Kordell? Bledsoe vs. Brady? Warner vs. Bulger? Greg vs. Marsha's nose? Whenever QB's get together for training camp hilarity ensues.
posted by lilnemo to football at 01:45 PM - 8 comments
ESPN's most underrated athletes.: Who's yours?
posted by Jaquandor to general at 01:30 PM - 9 comments
August 03, 2003
"I see myself as a scorer," said Walker, who has averaged 6.0 points and 4.9 rebounds in his career.: Has your favorite NBA team made any major moves this summer? Most haven't, but sometimes the smallest signing can turn a franchise around. Could any of these "small" moves make a difference this season, or is someone just "stealing" some of your team's cap space?
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 07:38 PM - 13 comments
August 02, 2003
SafeCo (Seattle Mariners) field gets geeked out.: Unlike an earlier thread on Portland's clueless PGE stadium, SafeCo stadium has taken the lead in implementing mobile technology for spectator use. Beginning with the luxury suites, and using Tablet PC-based software developed by cursivecode , "people can order food, watch instant replays and buy merchandise without leaving their upholstered seats." Also, the "Tablet PCs can be loaded before each game with special messages for clients, PowerPoint slide presentations and contracts that are ready to sign with a stylus." (Hahahahaha. Righhhhht...)
posted by worldcup2002 to other at 10:38 AM - 7 comments
August 01, 2003
This is a cool story about Van Nistelrooy.: Maybe I'm a simpleton, but I always enjoy these stories. Makes me think sports stars are still human.
posted by usfbull to soccer at 09:15 PM - 18 comments