Did hell just freeze over?

Did I just see a pig fly past my window?

Some thing's going on because I'm seriously dumbfounded.

The Grinch-like Florida Marlins have actually committed serious dollars to one of their star players and one baseball's most thrilling young talents, shortstop Hanley Ramirez.
Six years, $70 million big ones.

So who put Ecstasy in owner Jeffery Loria's drink? Or maybe he's feeling euphoric over the Marlins current owning of the best record in baseball at 23-14.

Whatever the case, this signing sure signals a sign of different times in Miami.

At least until the Marlins can no longer afford Hanley and decide ship him to the Red Sox and Yankees for prospects.

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Filed under: Florida Marlins, MLB

Major League Baseball Players Union is officially looking into why some big name players haven't been signed, reports ESPN.

Now gee, let's look at the players who are out there and the real reasons for why they're not being signed.

Barry Bonds Goes on trial for perjury June 27. Duh.

Roger Clemens Do we even need to go here?

Kenny Lofton Rickey Henderson, Part Deux. I can almost hear Kenny crying like Richard Gere, "I got nothing! I got nowhere else to go!" Go away to a golf course somewhere, Kenny.

Jose Mesa Just what every team needs: A six-fingered reliever who blows 3-run leads in the 9th with a flat fastball. Pass.

Mike Piazza His knees are as worthless as his linguini arm, yet he insists on playing catcher. And his power is kaput. Italian Stallion no more.

Sammy Sosa Sammy can still hit 'em out, all right. To the tune of a .240 average, if you're lucky. No thanks.

Sean Green Sorry, but the league has enough powerless, left-handed hitters. Ones who are a lot cheaper, too.

Shea Hillenbrand His talent is only overshadowed by how much talent he thinks he has over everyone else. Can you say, "clubhouse cancer."

Finally, my favorite:

David Wells Last seen drunk off his ass and ordering a 24-pack of maple bars from the place he was nicknamed after: Krispy Kreme.

There. I just saved thousands, if not millions in lawyer fees for MLBPA.

Now they can go back to doing something productive. Like, oh say, finding ways for its players to avoid cooperating with investigations.

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Filed under: MLB

After 5 long years of wearing it every day--yes, really, every day--David Witthoft, 11, of Green Bay, WI, is retiring his #4 Brett Favre jersey. Story here.

In case you're wondering, yes, his mom claims to have washed the jersey every single of the 1,581 days in a row he wore it. Near the end, the jersey barely came down to his belt line!

Now I remember wearing my Fred Biletnikoff #25 Raiders jersey a lot back when I was a kid. I could even name every single Raiders player by jersey number or by the position they played, and I thought I was a pretty big fan of my team.

But David, I must bow to your greatness. You're one cool, Favre/Packer-lovin' little dude!

Much cooler than my fellow freaky Raider fans.

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Filed under: NFL

Jay Bergman was an institution at UCF where he had been baseball coach for 28 years. From the Orlando Sentinel-

The University of Central Florida fired baseball coach Jay Bergman because he was accused of sexually harassing a team equipment manager, a university source has confirmed.

Bergman used a bat to simulate raping equipment manager Chris Rhyce in early March, said the university source and two other sources with knowledge of the allegation. The university source asked for anonymity because he is not authorized to speak for UCF.

The three sources said Rhyce told the university in a written complaint that he was held down on the field, fully clothed, by a baseball staff member before a March 7 game while the players watched. Bergman was said to have grabbed a bat and shoved it toward Rhyce's buttocks.

Bergman coached for almost 26 years at UCF.

I'm inclined to believe the allegations. Bergman was suspended for one game in 2006 for inappropriate behavior towards one of his players. The lawyer for Bergman is denying what happened (of course), and the school is clamming up. (of course) Go to the link and read the Orlando Sentinel article to form your own opinion.

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Filed under: College Baseball, Crime and Thuggery

The University of Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner sure does interesting things when away from school.

During spring break, Tebow added a new facet to his fame. In an impoverished village outside General Santos City in the Philippines, Tebow helped circumcise impoverished children.

On the Friday of a weeklong trip to the orphanage his father's ministry runs in Southeast Asia, Tebow assisted with the care of locals who had walked miles to the temporary clinic that the ministry helped organize. More than 250 people underwent medical and dental procedures, some of them from "Dr. Tebow," who has no formal surgical training.

"The first time, it was nerve-racking," he said. "Hands were shaking a little bit. I mean, I'm cutting somebody. You can't do those kinds of things in the United States. But those people really needed the surgeries. We needed to help them."

Tebow didn't plan on operating that day in the Philippines -- his job was to preach to the hundreds of people before they had teeth pulled or cysts removed. But as the day rolled on, he grew curious about the three Filipino doctors and his friend, UF graduate and aspiring doctor Richard "R.B." Moleno, in the bus-sized vehicle that served as a mobile hospital.

Tebow started as a helper and gofer, holding tools and running errands for the medics. By afternoon, he was asking questions and looking for more active ways to help. And by the end of an exhausting day, he was wearing gloves and a mask, wielding surgical scissors, finishing off stitches with a snip.

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Filed under: College Football, SEC

Kim is 22 years old, American, and been playing the PGA Tour since 2007. From AP-

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Knee surgery prevented Tiger Woods from attempting to defend his Wachovia Championship title. Anthony Kim didn't disappoint fans at Quail Hollow Club looking for Tiger-like brilliance.

In a near flawless performance Sunday, the 22-year-old Kim became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in six years. Following monster drives with flagstick-hitting approach shots and steady putting, Kim shot a 3-under 69 to cruise to five-shot win over Ben Curtis.

The former NCAA freshman of the year at Oklahoma won't turn 23 until next month. But he dominated a star-studded field by finishing with a 16-under 272 total, three shots better than the previous tournament record held by Woods.

"I'm a little bit numb right now, but that walk up 18 was the best feeling of my entire life," Kim said. "I'll never forget that feeling. I had chills going up and down my spine. I want to recreate that as many times as possible now, so I'm really going to work hard."

Kim earned $1,134,000 and became the youngest winner since Sergio Garcia won his third PGA Tour title in the 2002 Mercedes Championship.

Kim brought memories of Garcia, but for a different reason, when he strolled to the first tee Sunday with a four-shot lead and no PGA Tour wins. Garcia blew a six-shot lead at Quail Hollow in 2005 and lost in a playoff to Vijay Singh.

Kim had a solid enough rookie season in 2007, finishing 60th on the money list. It will have to be seen if he can make this year's Ryder Cup team. He was 24th in points before the Wachovia Championship.

Note- Can the golf media give winners credit this weekend. It's absurd to report the name of the golfer who won a tournament in a news story only after you first mention a player who wasn't even in the field. AP's golf and auto racing reporters last weekend must be using the same style book.

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Filed under: Golf, PGA Tour, Television & The Media

Another NFL off season, another NFL player in trouble with the law.

AUSTIN, Texas - Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson was charged with failing a sobriety test while operating a 30-foot boat, then resisting arrest before being hit with pepper spray and dragged ashore by officers.

Benson faces charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest after the incident Saturday night on Lake Travis, Travis County Sheriff's Department spokesman Roger Wade said Sunday.

Benson was released from jail early Sunday on a $14,500 bond. The charges are class B misdemeanors, each punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine. A call to Benson's agent was not immediately returned.

Benson was operating the boat with 15 passengers aboard when he was stopped by a Lower Colorado River Authority officer for a random safety inspection. He failed a field sobriety test on the officer's boat and was uncooperative when the officer tried to take him ashore, the authority said.

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Filed under: Chicago Bears, Crime and Thuggery, NFL

There was a wild finish at last night's race.

RICHMOND, Va. - Richard Childress always tells his drivers that luck occurs when preparation meets opportunity. Clint Bowyer proved the boss right on Saturday night.

Bowyer was a surprise winner at Richmond International Raceway, stealing a win that first seemed destined for Denny Hamlin, then Dale Earnhardt Jr. Neither made it to Victory Lane, though, because of a wild ending that saw three drivers denied the trip Bowyer made to Victory Lane.

*****

Hamlin, the hometown favorite, ran away with the race and led a record 381 of the 400 laps in search of his first Cup victory at Richmond. Nobody came close to challenging him until a leaking right front tire allowed Earnhardt and Kyle Busch to catch him.

The two drivers split Hamlin as they moved past him, with Earnhardt emerging as the leader with 18 laps to go. Hamlin's tire finally failed with eight to go, and NASCAR accused him of intentionally bringing out the caution that regrouped the field and gave Busch a chance to race Earnhardt for the win.

The two staged a strong battle for the lead when the race resumed, but contact between the two cars in turn three sent Earnhardt into the wall.

*****

Bowyer used the opportunity to slide past both Earnhardt and Busch and into the front for the first time all night. Bowyer then held off Busch on a final restart to score his first Cup victory of the season, second of his career.

I watch next to no auto racing these day. Back in the 70's before I went in the military, I followed NASCAR quite a bit. These days my auto racing is pretty much confined to the Indy 500.

Clint Bowyer won last night's race, he didn't steal it. Hamlin's car quit on him, fine. Busch and Earnhardt tangled with each other putting the kibosh with both these driver's chances. Bowyer crossed the finish line first, he's the winner. Memo to AP- Drop the 'steal shit'

For did Al Unser 'steal' his 4th Indy 500 win in 1987, when Mario Andretti who was running away with the race for 180 laps, had his race end due to electrical failure?

Did Richard Petty 'steal' the 1979 Daytona 500 after Cale Yarborough and Donny Allison collided on the final lap? That was the race with the famous fight afterwards that also involved Donnie's brother Bobby.

I don't remember anyone saying those races were stolen. The difference between A. Unser and Richard Petty versus Bowyer is that they were stars and Bowyer isn't. So Bowyer gets slighted in his moment of triumph by it being said he stole the race. What a bunch of bull crap.

The only reason I'm writing this, is the 'Morgan Pressel had the US Open stolen from her' meme that is still floated by the golf media. Remember the 2005 US Open and Birdie Kim's bunker shot that won the tournament? The way you here it today is that Morgan had it stolen from her. Let me point out a few salient facts.

1- Pressel finished 2 shots behind Kim.
2- Pressel finished tied for 2nd with fellow amateur Brittany Lang.

So even if Birdie hadn't holed out, and made bogey or worse on 18 like almost the entire field did that day, Morgan still would have had to go 18 holes in a playoff with at least Lang, and possibly Kim also.

Yesterday's broadcast of the LPGA tournament in Oklahoma, mentioned Lang's 2nd place finish in 2005. For a change it was nice to hear the media remember someone tied Morgan that day.

Note- The golf media has another meme going about the 2005 US Open also. That Lorena Ochoa lost it. Lorena hit 2 balls in the water at 18 on Sunday, finishing with a quadruple bogey 8 and 7 over par for the tournament. If Lorena scored what most of the field did on Sunday at 18, bogey she would have finished 4 over. Now if Kim had finished bogey too like the media wishes, how can they say both Ochoa lost the 05 Open and Pressel had it stolen from her? Ochoa's 4 over tops Pressel's 5 over. The two memes are contradictory.

Bowyer was opportunistic, Kim may have been lucky the hole got in the way of her ball. When it is all said and done, they are the champs. No member of the media can take that away from them. Give them the respect they are due. For once in Kim's case, and twice in Bowyer's, they beat the best at their sport.

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Filed under: Golf, LPGA Tour, Television & The Media

My bride and I have just returned from our annual pilgrimage to Churchill Downs. We have only missed one Derby weekend since we met; last year my daughter graduated from college and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.

We avoided the awful weather watching the races from the Oaks Day Member Party inside the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs.

This of course means that our last Derby saw Barbaro dominate the field and a convincing buzz started about a likely Triple Crown winner in the making. The buzz ended tragically when Barbaro went down at the Preakness and after an eight month fight to save him was finally put down.

Before the weekend of racing started, a rendering of a statue of Barbaro was unveiled. The statue and the ashes of the great horse will be memorialized at Churchill Downs. The memories of Barbaro did not end with the statue ceremony however.

In an under card race on Friday before the Oaks, the first ironic twist of the hazards of thoroughbred racing occurred.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Two years after Barbaro's catastrophic breakdown, trainer Michael Matz watched another one of his colts break down in a race at Churchill Downs on Friday.

"That's amazingly very similar to what Barbaro had, only in another leg," Bramlage said.

Chelokee had won the inaugural "Barbaro Stakes" last year at Pimlico.

It has been over 55 years since a trainer won the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby in the same weekend. Larry Jones decided to take the risk. He scratched his heavily favored filly Eight Belles from the Oaks to enter her in the Derby. She would be the first filly to run the historic race since 1999.

Friday was a rainy mess and track conditions deteriorated quickly. No doubt this contributed to several late scratches.

This left Jones with all his hopes on Proud Spell in the Oaks; she did not disappoint. Proud Spell took the lead at the furlong pole and never looked back cruising to a five length victory over Little Belle.

In spite of heavy favorite Big Brown in the Derby field, whispers started that Eight Belles may have a shot at an upset. Big Brown had drawn the outside position in the gate. No horse had ever won the Derby from the far outside gate position.

Going into the final turn, Eight Belles was doing exactly what Jones had wanted. She was trailing Big Brown closely on the outside in third and fourth place respectively and clear track to the finish line.

The sprint to the line started. Both Big Brown and Eight Belles quickly passed leaders Bob Black Jack and Cowboy Cal. The day would belong to Big Brown as he pulled away from the pack winning by five lengths with a time of 2:01.

Then almost a quarter mile from the finish line, tragedy struck again. Far past the finish line few of the 157,000 + at Churchill Downs immediately noticed the filly collapse.

Eight Belles jockey Gabriel Saez felt something wrong but it was too late.

``After we passed the wire, I stood up,'' Saez said in a statement. ``She started galloping funny and I tried to pull her up, but she went down.''

The injury was bad, very bad. Eight Belles had broken both from ankles. She was euthanized on the track.

The Kentucky Derby remains the most exciting two minutes in all of sports but these recent tragedies will ignite more talk of "at what cost?"That discussion is fair and probably needed but let's clear a few points before the discussion starts:

Thoroughbred horses at this level are not abused. These are superbly conditioned and maintained world class athletes. These are million dollar investments and every possible care is afforded them.

Horse racing fans are not like fans of blood sports like cock fighting. I can assure you that not one person of the 157,770 at Churchill Downs found any joy in watching that filly being put down.

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Filed under: Horse Racing

In case you don't remember, Udeze was recently diagnosed with leukemia. From AP-

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings want Kenechi Udeze to focus on his fight against leukemia and not worry about his financial situation.

The defensive end was placed on the reserve-non-football-illness list Friday, coach Brad Childress announced. That makes him ineligible to participate in the 2008 season, but guarantees him his $807,500 salary for the year. Udeze revealed two weeks ago that the cancer was in remission, and that his older brother has matching bone marrow for a pending transplant.

"He can focus on getting well. He's done a great job with that so far. He's been positive. He's been upbeat," said Childress, who praised owner Zygi Wilf for the decision.

Since the cause of Udeze's illness is not football related, the Vikings were under no obilgation to pay his salary for 2008.

Udeze signed a five-year contract as a first-round draft pick out of Southern California in 2004 and will be a free agent next March. Once the season is over, Childress said the Vikings will revisit Udeze's status.

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Filed under: Minnesota Vikings, NFL

The most exciting two minutes in all of sports was raced today.

Big Brown backed up his trainer's boasts with an explosive finishing kick and won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday -- a day marred by the fatal breakdown of the filly Eight Belles.

The unbeaten Big Brown took charge when the 20-horse field turned for home. Under the urging of jockey Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown cruised to a 4 3/4-length victory to become the seventh unbeaten Derby winner with his fourth consecutive win. The last one was Barbaro in 2006

Here's the video of the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

After the race was over, one horse had to be put down.

The cheers for the winner's decisive victory were cut short when Eight Belles, the runner-up, was euthanized on the track minutes after the race when she collapsed with two broken front ankles.

Some may say Eight Belles was raced too hard, but these are fragile animals as Barbaro reminded us just recently.

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Filed under: Horse Racing

The 2007 AJGA Player of the Year is among the leaders after the first round of the Semgroup Championship. From the Tulsa World-

BROKEN ARROW--Vicky Hurst, a 17-year-old high school senior from Melbourne, Fla., got a sponsor's exemption into the SemGroup Championship and isn't squandering the opportunity.

After nine first-round holes, Hurst was 3-under par and had a two-shot lead on the field. She settled for even par, but her score -- posted despite sinister wind gusts -- was still good enough to lead you to believe the kid was born on a golf course,

Vicki is at present playing her rookie year on the Duramed Futures Tour. At present, Vicki is #1 on that tour's money list. If you think Vicki has played the LPGA pros a great many times before the Semgroup, think again. Vicki, who has had a very impressive amateur record, is only playing in a LPGA event for the second time on a sponsor's exemption. How many sponsor's exemptions has Michelle Wie gotten since 2002? Like 30?

Hurst is just one part of the wave of Korean-American girls who will soon be influencing US Ladies Professional golf. Vicki's Mom Koko, who caddies for her daughter but not this week, was born in South Korea. I think we'll be hearing alot of more of Vicki, Kimberly Kim, Jenny Shin, and others in the years ahead.

The rest of the Tulsa World article is below the fold.

Continue reading "Move over Michelle Wie" »

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Filed under: Golf, LPGA Tour

The limited field event will take place on a weekend between events in Hawaii and South Korea. From LPGA.com-

Haikou, China, 29th April 2008 - The China Golf Association (CGA), Grand China Air, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and IMG today jointly announced that Grand China Air will title sponsor the LPGA's first ever event in China, the Grand China Air LPGA, to be played from the 24th to 26th October, 2008 at the Haikou West Golf Club in Hainan's capital, Haikou.

It is the first LPGA tournament to be played in China and the tournament was specifically developed by the CGA, the LPGA and IMG, as a platform for Grand China Air to promote their brand around the world as they look to expand into international markets.

Sixty-three of the world's best players will compete for a purse of US$1,800,000. The player field is made up of the top 51 ranked available players on the LPGA Official Money List as of the 14th of September, 2008, and 12 invited players to be decided by the CGA, Grand China Air and IMG.

The LPGA is truly an international tour. Interest in women's professional golf seems stronger outside the US than within. Therefore it makes sense for the LPGA to increase the amount of tournaments it plays world-wide. With China on board now, how long will it be before events are played in Australia, Abu Dhabi, India, or somewhere in South America? Not long in my considered opinion.

Ryan and Hound Dog are also blogging on this news.

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Filed under: Golf, LPGA Tour

This comes less than a month after the team had one of its worst seasons ever. From the Sun-Sentinel-

MIAMI - Last place and the Hall of Fame will be the final two stops of Pat Riley's coaching career.

In a move that took days of deliberation but was hinted at months in advance, Riley announced today he is stepping down as coach of the Heat to concentrate fulltime on what had been his dual role as team president.

The announcement was made at an afternoon news conference at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Assistant coach Erik Spoelstra was named Riley's replacement. Spoelstra has been with the franchise for 12 seasons.

Born Nov. 1, 1970, Spoelstra becomes the youngest current NBA coach, 69 days younger than Nets coach Lawrence Frank.

Riley quit coaching the Heat once before in 2004, but came back the following year. As long as the Heat are as bad as they are, Riley won't be coaching them again. I get the distinct impression Riley can't stand constant losing. On the other hand if the team looks destined for a title, he'll step back in. Look what happened with Stan Van Gundy in 2005.

Right now the Heat are a long way from winning anything. They have one certifiable star(Wade) who at the same time is brittle. After that, the team doesn't have much. Miami is in for a rebuilding project. I wonder if Riley has the patience to see it through as team President.

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Filed under: Miami Heat, NBA

1.) The audience at the Draft booing guys who get picked.

Or maybe they're doing that Arsenio Hall "whoopin'" thing, heck if I know. I'm too white, too old and probably too Republican to tell the difference.

In the end, it sounded too much like booing, so you get my vote for biggest losers.

Not to mention you spent a decent New York City spring day indoors at Radio City Music Hall. Combine that with the aforementioned booing and you're exactly 1.7 points smarter than Forrest Gump.

2.) ESPN....for THREE frakkin' hours of pre-Draft gobbledy-goo.

3.) Mel Kiper, Jr. This man's career (and hair) seemingly revolve around one weekend every year. Baffling.

4.) Coors Light. I really like some of the versions in this series coach/guys in audience spots. This time? Not so much.

5.) Chris Berman. Why? Because his ego is only slightly smaller than his bald spot.

Finally, there's really nothing dramatic enough on Draft Day to make you go "wow! I'm glad they didn't choose him!" moments to warrant all this trumped drama and analysis. That all comes later.

Just ask Ryan Leaf.

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Filed under: NFL

1. Michael Beasley PF 6-9 235 KSU Fr.
2. Derrick Rose PG 6-4 195 Memphis Fr.
3. OJ Mayo SG/PG 6-5 210 USC Fr.
4. Eric Gordon SG 6-4 220 Indiana Fr.
5. Jerryd Bayless PG 6-2 182 Arizona Fr.
6. Brook Lopez C 7-0 260 Stanford So.
7. Danilo Gallinari SF 6-8 210 Italy
8. Kevin Love PF/C 6-9 260 UCLA Fr.
9. Nicolas Batum SG/SF 6-8 210 France
10. Donte Greene PF 6-11 226 Syracuse Fr.
11. DeAndre Jordan C 7-0 240 TX AM Fr.
12. Anthony Randolph SF/PF 6-10 220 LSU Fr.
13. Russell Westbrook SG 6-4 187 UCLA So.
14. JaVale McGee C 7-0 237 Nevada So.
15. Joe Alexander SF 6-8 200 W. Virgina So.
16. D.J. Augustin PG 5-11 175 Texas So.
17. Darrell Arthur SF/PF 6-9 230 Kansas So.
18. Kosta Koufos C 7-1 252 Ohio St. Sr.
19. Roy Hibbert C 7-2 270 Georgetown Sr.
20. Raymar Morgan SG/SF 6-7 210 Mich. St. So.
21. Chase Budinger SG/SF 6-7 215 Arizona So.
22. Serge Ibaka PF 6-10 220 Congo
23. Robin Lopez PF/C 7-0 255 Stanford So.
24. Chris Douglas-Roberts SG 6-7 200 Mem. Jr.
25. Ryan Anderson PF 6-10 235 Cal. So.
26. Brandon Rush SG/SF 6-6 210 Kansas Jr.
27. Alexis Ajinca PF/C 7-1 225 France
28. Mario Chalmers PG 6-2 180 Kansas Jr.
29. Bill Walker SG/SF 6-6 230 K-State Fr.
30. Nathan Jawai PF/C 6-10 280 Aus.

I've recently posted some Alexis Ajinca scouting video on my new blog. To keep track of basketball around the world (add see Ajinca in action) come check me out at BlazeBasketballBlog.

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Filed under: NBA
Tags: mock nba draft

Kobe Bryant made it very clear during his halftime interview that nobody on the Denver Nugget's roster was able to even attempt to guard him. He is right. Bad knees Kenyon Martin and mental lapse JR Smith (and to slow Kleiza) all are great matchups for Kobe Bryant. Iverson and Anthony Carter are to small to defend Bryant.

The point is there is nothing George Karl can do to get back in this series. The Nuggets became a one and done team once they failed to make a deal before the trade deadline. There are several ways the Nuggets could have attempted to improve their defense. Iverson needed to move to the point guard (which is where they started him last game anyways). This would have allowed the Nuggets to go out and trade for a shooting guard to come in and guard guys like Kobe. Didn't someone write an article about this just before the trade deadline? The Nuggets could have moved Eddie Najera (expiring contract) for John Salmons and Justin Williams. Then instead of starting Kleiza the Nuggets would have been able to start someone at 6'6 who actually could attempt to stay with Bryant.

The Nugget's front office have basically ruined Denver's chances of competing in the playoffs. This is news to them, but it does actually take skill to put together a cohesive roster. The Nuggets have had this problem at the two guard since the Nuggets drafted Carmelo Anthony. Vo Lenard couldn't defend. Greg Buckner could keep defenses honest. The Nuggets have needed a shooting guard ever since Fat Lever left Denver. Wait isn't his son playing professional ball now?

Seriously, it is about time the Nuggets went out and got pieces that fit around Carmelo Anthony. Allen Iverson does not fit around Anthony. Anthony needs to be around shooters. Michael Redd and Rip Hamilton are two guys that would gel well with Anthony. Hopefully the Nuggets move their veterans over the summer and try and rebuild the right way. Otherwise, based on their previous moves, we can expect more of the same.

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Filed under: Denver Nuggets, NBA, Washington Nationals
Tags: carmelo anthony, denver nuggets, george karl, nba

Gee, I guees the old saying is right: Rotten apples don't fall far the tree do they?

New York Yankees co-chairknucklehead Hank Steinbrenner is following in his father's footsteps in telling the manager--in this case, Jor Girardi and not Billy Martin, Bob Lemon, Dick Howser, etc.--how to manage his pitching staff.

Hank is insisting--OK, demanding--that the much-hyped Joba Chamberlain should be in the Yankees starting rotation.

"I want him (Joba) as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now. There is no question about it, you don't have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don't do that. You have to be an idiot to do that."

First, you don't tell the manager (aka: the guy with 15 years of MLB catching experience and 2006 Manager of the Year award winner) how to manage his staff, idiot.

Second, Chamberlain is a very gifted and talented pitcher. He has a tremendous fastball and slider and a uber-competitive spirit. Those are all great things.

But he ain't ready to be a starter. Period. Not yet. And maybe not even this year.

Plain and simple, his arm isn't ready to handle an MLB workload.

Chamberlain has pitched all of 112 innings and made a grand total of 15 starts in professional ball. He needs to build up arm strength and endurance through setup roles and long stints of middle relief before he can even be considered for a start. Even when his day comes to be a starter, and it will, his pitch counts and innings pitched must be limited or risk being injured. The Yanks certainly don't want that.

Furthermore, it would benefit Chamberlain to use this time to better develop his changeup and curveball to compliment his upper-90's fastball and slider.

And honestly, this kid is a little immature right now and I personally question not his heart, but his head to be a pitcher in MLB and not just a thrower of heat. It takes stuff and smarts to make it in this league. The stuff is there, but like nearly all young pitchers learning how to pitch to MLB hitters, Joba needs to mature, gain patience and demonstrate a willingness to learn and study hitters. Right now, he's just blowing guys away--and that will only work for so long before hitters catch up.

So for Steinbrenner to pop off like this just makes him sound like a ignorant owner who knows very little about baseball. And he is.

Just like his father.

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Filed under: MLB, New York Yankees

Years from now, every basketball fan in San Antonio will claim to have been one of the almost 19,000 to have witnessed three hour and 21 minute battle royal that started the first round of the 2008 NBA playoffs.

Tim Duncan scored one point shy of his career playoff record of 41 to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a thrilling double overtime win against the Phoenix Suns at the AT&T Center in San Antonio on Saturday.

The Suns came in confident and loose. Remember it was only 10 days ago that the Suns came into the AT&T Center and promptly throttled the Spurs by 17.

Early, it was starting to look like a repeat for the Suns as they pushed to a 16 point lead in the first half. The Spurs however, did not fold and pulled to within eight by halftime.

By the end of the third, the Spurs were within six and the Suns were finding no easy way to put away the savvy veterans and defending NBA champions.

The fourth quarter was highlighted by foul trouble for Phoenix and timely shot by San Antonio. Then miraculously, the Spurs came back and tied it as time was running out. Nothing is better than free basketball in the playoffs.

At the end of the first overtime, the basketball Gods struck at the AT&T Center. With just a scarce few seconds left and the Spurs down by three Tim Duncan launched a three-pointer that hit. This was Duncan's first three-pointer of the season.

The second overtime was more anxiety with both teams threatening and neither team yielding. Then with 1.8 seconds left, Manu Ginobili hit a layup and it was finally over.

Points of interest:

Steve Nash missed a free throw that could had ended it for San Antonio.

Tim Duncan hit a three but Robert Horry never got in the game. Hard to question Pop but that was a very risky move.

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Filed under: NBA

The late May tournament could be in danger. Caddy blogger Larry writes-

This is not a good sign: The down turn in the economy may be hitting our sponsor pretty hard. Rumor has it there was a meeting earlier this week concerning the Ginn Tribute to be held in Charleston. To cut costs, Ginn offered to forfeit the purse money and forego the event but was convinced otherwise. In gambler lingo, they were "pot committed" so it made sense not to cancel.

Also, another piece of the puzzle that is difficult to comprehend is Ginn's willingness to move the Orlando event to major status if things don't fall into place once McDonald's departs the scene. Somehow this doesn't make much sense. We'll see what shakes out after a little time passes.

What makes this worse, is the Ginn Tribute took away the dates of a long-time LPGA tournament, The Shoprite Classic. Shoprite, not liking the new dates being offered them after the LPGA gave them away to the Ginn, ended its 15 year sponsorship of the Atlantic City tour stop. I thought the LPGA, namely Commissioner Carolyn Bivens, handled this terribly at the time. If Ginn does pull out, my concerns of 2006 look to be coming to roost. Ladies Professional golf in the USA could be in serious trouble.

Note- Yes what Larry is reporting is just rumors, but this article makes a brief mention of Ginn Resorts having financial troubles.

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Filed under: Golf, LPGA Tour, Labor and Economics

She defeated Yani Tseng by three shots.

REUNION, Fla. - Lorena Ochoa became the first LPGA Tour player in 45 years to win four tournaments in consecutive weeks.

Ochoa shot a 3-under 69 in the final round of the Ginn Open on Sunday and beat rookie Yani Tseng by three strokes for her fifth victory in six starts this year.

Ochoa trailed early in the final round, but went ahead for good with three straight birdies beginning at No. 8. She finished 19 under and became the second player to win four times in as many weeks.

Mickey Wright did it in 1962 and 1963. Kathy Whitworth (1969) and Annika Sorenstam (2001) also won four consecutive events, but both took a week off during their runs.

Sorenstam (2004-05) and Nancy Lopez (1978) hold the tour record with five straight victories in events entered, but neither of those came in consecutive weeks.

I predict Lorena will not win the Stanford Intl. You can take it to the bank, because Lorena is taking the week off. The streak will have to wait to May before Lorena either continues it or someone snaps it for her.

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Filed under: Golf, LPGA Tour

Tiger had knee surgery last week. Jason Sobel at ESPN writes-

If Woods is indeed Superman, his kryptonite may be that left knee, which has now required three separate surgeries. He previously had a benign tumor removed in 1994, and in late 2002, he underwent a similar procedure to his most recent surgery, proving he may not be invincible, but he is indestructible. After his second surgery, he returned neither gimpy nor rusty, winning in his first start at Torrey Pines and taking two of the next three titles as well.

Expect a similar result when Woods returns after this layoff, possibly at the Memorial Tournament in late May, certainly by the U.S. Open in June. That's because he's not only the most talented golfer around, but he works as hard as anyone else.

'I was rusty,' Woods told reporters on Wednesday after holing a chip shot at the 18th hole to finish his Pro-Am round at Cog Hill before Thursday's start of the Western Open.

'It was very disappointing. I had good practice sessions and I thought I was prepared.'