A Softball Game for the Ages

On Tuesday afternoon in California two high school teams got together for what became the highest scoring game in softball history. What is even more astonishing is that the two teams, Cuyama Valley and Coast Union, entered the game with only one win apiece. Cuyama Valley eventually prevailed in the four hour game after a 13 run 7th inning which capped off the 48-47 game.

The teams combined for an astounding 95 runs in the game, and despite giving up 47 runs, Cuyama starting pitcher Melinda Ramirez got the win.  Ashley Armstrong of Cuyama valley had quite an amazing day herself, as she came to the plate 9 times and walked every single time, giving her a final stat line of 0-0, 9BB.  As Cuyama Valley coach Mary Jo Harrington told the San Luis Obispo Tribune, "The girls were just so excited.  They weren't going to give up that game.  They weren't playing for much but they wanted to go down winning."  Cuyama Valley also was able to capture the victory without using a single substitute in the game, as the softball team only has 9 players on the roster.

Even the Coast Union coaches and players were excited about the historical game, despite the heart breaking loss.  "We battled back and we never gave up," said coach Rocky Fordyce. "We had fun.  The girls were very positive about it."

Flop Alert: Joe Thornton Produces a Gem...

Near the end of the first period in Game 5 of the Sharks and Red Wings series, Joe Thornton rivaled the world's best floppers.  After getting tangled up with Red Wing Johan Franzen, Thornton decided to make his move.  Albeit Franzen hit his stuck across the Thornton's ankles, Joe the Flopper as he will be called, took a dive right out of the old soccer playbook.  After flailing onto the ice, Thornton remained there pretending to be in agony as the refs tried to sort out what  happened.  When it was all said and done, Franzen was sent to the penalty box for his "actions."  Here is the flop:

Sir Charles Needs to Throw in the Towel

Charles Barkley has without a doubt the worst golf swing in the history of the game.  Fortunately for us it was on display last week at the Regions Tradition Pro-Am at Shoal Creek. Chuck arguably made the worst swing of his career that day, and in the mayhem that followed, his driver head flew even further than his golf ball. Here is a clip:

Panthers Take Cam Newton #1 Overall

With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select...Cam Newton, quarterback from Auburn University.  That's how it went Thursday night in Radio City Music Hall in New York City, as the NFL kicked off their 2011 draft.  In Newton's interview following his selection he mentioned "it's a great feeling to be a Carolina Panther," and that "It's time to get to work now."  Newton's first overall selection makes him the 3rd straight quarterback to be selected number one overall, and the 15th taken first in the last 25 years.

Newton really may not have been the surprise of the night though, as others like Jake Locker (QB-Washington) and Aldon Smith (DE-Missouri) were drafted much earlier than projected.  Also, projected early pick Da'Quan Bowers, from Clemson fell completely out of the first round and will have to wait until tomorrow to hear his name called.  Here is a recap of the first round:

Play of the Week...

This weeks play goes to Lionel Messi of Barcelona as he shredded the Real Madrid defense last night.  Five defenders and a goalie?...No problem for Messi:

Air France Flys French National Hockey Team to the Wrong Country

Oops...Air France, who chartered the French national hockey team's recent flight to the World Championships, decided to fly the team to the wrong country.  Instead of landing in Slovakia, the team got a nice little vacation to beautiful Poland, before figuring out they were in the wrong place.

Luckily for the team, they landed in Krakow which is only a mere 185 miles from Kosice, where the championship is taking place.  Instead of flying them the rest of the way, or because the hockey team was fed up with the national airline, the team boarded a bus for the 3 hour drive.  At least Air France managed to do one thing right...all the teams bags made it safely to Poland with them...

Links...

The Madden 2011 voting is officially over...and the new player on the cover is...

A 99-year old woman got the birthday present of a lifetime yesterday...

To continue tradition, if you have $63,000 lying around, log-on to ebay for this item...

Oh boy...even Tommy Tuberville is a "birther."  Guess we should have guessed...he does coach in Lubbock, Texas.

And our haircut of the week goes to Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies...

Our Fan of the Week...

Johannes Schneider, the founder of the Winthrop student's fan club, is such a great fan of the university that he asked Big Stuff (the Eagle's mascot) to walk him down the aisle of his wedding.  Only Schneider, his bride, and the parents of the two knew about the special guest for the wedding.  Even Big Stuff, who has only revealed his last name (Waters) was surprised by the request, but eventually agreed to the super-fan's idea.

Schneider is such a big fan of the university that he attended every game last season with his torso fully painted, while only wearing the team's flag for pants.  The Snider Sports Network salutes Schneider for his dedication to Winthrop University, as our Fan of the Week!

Play of the Week...and Blooper of the Week

This weeks Play of the Week takes us to a Division II baseball game in Tennessee, where the pick-off move was taken to a whole new level.  The pitcher pretended to throw the ball to 2nd base to pick of the runner, when he in fact kept the ball in his glove.  With great acting from the shortstop, 2nd baseman, and the pitcher, then runner took off to 3rd, where he was easily thrown out.  Here's the video:

This weeks Blooper of the Week comes to us courtesy of Baylor Forward Quincy Acy, as he attempts to write a paper for one of his classes.  When realizing that he can't spell, and when spell check doesn't have answers, Acy decided to take his issues to Twitter and ask the entire world for help.  Here is his Tweet:

We'll give Acy some credit though, at least he is still in school and going to class...that's a lot more than some college athletes can say.

Links...

At least one Woods' family member still knows how to win a golf tournament...

Dwight Howard won his 3rd consecutive NBA Defensive Player of the Year award...

Today, North Carolina freshman star Harrison Barnes announced his plans for next year...

The Madden 2012 cover will come down to either Michael Vick, or this surprising player...

And finally, even famous NFL players are struggling to find places to practice during the lockout...

Nascar Step Aside...Professional Chair Racing is Here

Have you always dreamt of becoming a professional athlete...but lacked the whole 'athlete' part?  Do you have fond memories of sliding down hallways and spinning endlessly in swivel chairs?  If you answered yes to either question, we have the sport for you.  Thanks to our friends in Germany, we now have a whole new genre of sport: professional chair racing.

In order to compete with the best of the best though, you'll have to work hard on your downhill 200-meter chair times.  The current record, which was just set, is held by Luxembourger Pierre Feller, who raced down the course in an astonishing 26.95 seconds...which is about 22 miles per hour.  

I don't know if professional chair racing will hit it big in America, but thanks again to our wonderful European friends, we have a new sport to awe and laugh at.

Another Trick Shot Video...

We've seen trick shot videos from quarterbacks, basketball players, kickers, and even long-snappers....but here is a whole genre, soccer player trick shots.  Here is UNC Asheville's goalkeeper, Lassi Hurskainen with his trick shot video:

Picture of the Week

Here is the newest feature at Snider Sports Network...the Picture of the Week.  Each week we will find the best picture from around the world of sports.  This weeks picture comes to us from the one and only Kevin Garnett, and needs no caption as it speaks for itself:

Sacramento May Still Have a Chance to Keep the Kings

After last night's hard fought OT loss at the hands of the Lakers, Kings fans thought it may be the last time they ever saw their team take the floor in Sacramento.  New details have emerged today though, courtesy of Mayor Kevin Johnson, that tells a different story; one that hopefully means the Kings may remain in the central valley. Here is a tweet from Mayor Johnson that hopefully means good news for Sacramento.   

New news Today is that billionaire Ron Burkle is very interested in buying the kings and keeping them in sac #kings

about 8 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

@KJ_MayorJohnson

Kevin Johnson

There are no indications that the Kings are for sale, but due to Burkle's finances and the Maloof's deep debt, there may be a deal to be made. Burkle, who's net worth is well over $3 billion, has already rescued the Penguins from moving out of Pittsburgh, and he has made it clear that he would do the same with the Kings. For the loyal fans of Sacramento hopefully this deal can be made...do we really need a 3rd LA team?

"A Good Walk Spoiled..."

This famous phrase has embodied golf by those that understand the true difficulty of the game.  Now, due to a recent development in Germany, the phrase may have to be changed to "a good ride spoiled."

In Lohmar, Germany golfers have no need for a caddie or a golf cart anymore, because they have an airport style moving sidewalk to usher them around the course.  This has finally taken the game of golf to the extreme level, and demonstrates a whole new type of laziness.

Arizona State Unveils New Uniforms

Normally a new uniform unveiling would only be big news for the school that is involved.  This time though, these uniforms are so awesome that the world needs to check them out.  Arizona State University, along with Nike, showed off the new uni's yesterday to very high praises.  The Sun Devils have ditched Sparky from the uniforms, and have replaced him with the new pitch fork logo seen here:

More pictures of the uniforms can be seen here...

Blooper of the Week...

It isn't the end of the week, so this blooper may be a bit premature, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity to call this play the blooper of the week...

Celtics player Von Wafer perhaps made one of the classic NBA bloopers on Monday night.  With about 3:00 minutes to play in OT against the Wizards, Wafer went up for what he thought was a monster jam.  He followed up the "dunk" by taunting the crowd and then turning and running into teammate Jermaine O'Neal.  The only problem...was the fact that Wafer missed the dunk...He also didn't help his cause when he ran into Jermaine O'Neal, because O'Neal had the offensive rebound, and was looking to put it back up for a shot.  Unfortunately for Wafer, the ultimate blooper didn't end with the dunk, as the refs called double-dribble on O'Neal due to the hitch in his dribble after being run into.

NCAA Spring Football Links...

Here is an early look at some rankings for the 2011-12 College Football season, courtesy of CBS Sports...

Terrelle Pryor may be considering the NFL Supplemental Draft instead of taking part in what looks to be a dysfunctional season for the Buckeyes...

Purdue kicker, Carson Wiggs connected on a 67-yard field goal in the Boilermaker's spring game...

Florida State fans have taken their rivalry to all new heights with the Florida Gators...Literally...

And finally, Andrew Luck appears to have left off right where he ended last season...

Why Canada is Awesome!

Canada is known for their beautiful landscapes, maple syrup, and of course...HOCKEY!  The country is in fact so dedicated to the sport, that it comes before all else...even politics.  A French language federal election debate was going to be held on Thursday, but it would have conflicted with the opening game of the Montreal-Boston playoff series.  Bloc Quebecois leader, Gilles Duceppe, initially raised concerns over the debate's scheduled time and asked for it to be bumped up to Wednesday night.  "In the name of democracy," Duceppe stated, "I ask you to add your voice to mine and contact the consortium as soon as possible...Hockey stands alone and will triumph on Thursday."

In America, we would be forced to choose between a debate, or a Monday Night Football game for instance...At least Canada has their priorities in check!

Your Baseball Skipper Tirade of the Week

Rays manager Joe Maddon came flying out of the dugout today to argue what was perceived to be a blown call at first base.  After being tossed out of the game by the the first-base umpire, Maddon went ballistic and decided to throw all of the umpires out of the game, one by one.  Here is video of Maddon's brilliant tirade:

Cut Minor League Player Hits Million Dollar Jackpot

Minor league player Joel Torres was recently cut by the Indians minor league affiliate, the Akron Aeros.  Despite his bad luck on the baseball field, Torres made up for it yesterday when he hit the one million dollar jackpot for a scratcher that he bought in February.  Torres' take home sum for the ticket will total over $660,000.  He plans to first buy his mom a new home, and then use the remainder of the money to hopefully help fulfill his dreams of becoming a major league player.  In his words, he will "keep swinging for the fences."

Blooper of the Week...

This weeks blooper comes from Philadelphia, courtesy of the Phillie Phanatic, the Phillies world famous green mascot.  He decided to go all-Lady Gaga in a recent game against the Astros, as he hatched from a giant egg and pranced around the field, taunting Astros players between innings.

New Florida Coach Will Muschamp Has Interesting Practice Strategy

Traditionally, most college football teams keep their practices in the spring limited to fundamentals, the weight room, and basic formations and plays.  New Florida coach Will Muschamp apparently thinks the game of football is an overrated way of preparing his team to...well, play football.  Instead of the usual football pads, the Gators took to face masks and paintball guns, as Florida took a "team-building trip" to a local paintball site.  I don't know if the paintball method will work for the first year head coach and his Gators, but if Florida can rebound after last years mediocre season (in the eyes of Gator-nation), then maybe this new Spring festivity will travel to other schools around the country.

Got an Extra $4 Lying Around?

Hurry! Look under your couch cushions for some extra change, and maybe you can be part of this amazing one time deal.  The Hubert Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota is currently giving tours of the progress being made on the new roof, after last years major collapse of the dome.  Already too excited for words?....Well wait, there's more!  Once you partake in this fabulous tour, you'll receive an actual piece of the former roof of the dome...Yes, the exact one that collapsed due to the weight of the snow in 2010.  But you must act now, as only the first 2000 people to venture into the dome will receive the free piece of roof.  Here is a schedule of the tours from the Star Tribune in Minneapolis:

"The dome is open to walk-up visitors April through November, on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11 a.m. The tours depart from Gate F and the cost is $4 per person. After the roof is replaced, the tours won’t be offered on days when the stadium hosts daytime events."

Nashville Predators Shoot a Higher Percentage than Butler...

By now, the entire world knows of the hideous shooting performance of the Butler Bulldogs in Monday's championship loss to the UConn Huskies.  Layups, mid-range jumpers, and three pointers bounced off the rim all night in Houston, which in part may have been due to UConn's stifling defense, as well as the cavernous building, or pressure of the big game.  Butler finished the night with a season-low 41 points, while shooting only 18% from the field.

As jockpost.com pointed out in a recent column, the Nashville Predators...YES, a hockey team!...outshot Butler on Tuesday night, by going 6-24 from "the ice," or in other words, a 25% shooting percentage.  I hate to bash Butler after what they've accomplished over the last 2 years, but really?...How can you let a hockey team shoot a better percentage than you?

Play of the Week

This week's play comes to us from Europe as Dejan Stankovic scored one of the most memorable goals in soccer history. After Schalke's goalie headed a pass out of the box in the early seconds of the game, Stankovic fired a bullet from mid-air right into the back of the net.  Inter Milan lost the game, but this goal was definitely the highlight of the night.  Here is a link to the video, courtesy of deadspin.com.

Links...

So...UConn won the tournament and was crowned National Champions, but they shouldn't be number 1 in the country? This coach thinks so...

Here is a cool site detailing many little-known side talents of famous athletes...

This is why you don't play soccer on dirt...

If you still aren't sure who to root for during the 2011 baseball season here is another guide...

And finally, don't forget to follow the new Snider Sports Network's Twitter page...

The Way Too Early NCAA Basketball 2011-12 Top 10

Rankings are always an objective, far from perfect science...but they are oh so fun to look at and debate.  After yesterday's National Title game, here are very early rankings for the 2011-2012 basketball season.  It should be noted however that these rankings are subject to change, and depend heavily on player's decisions either to stay in school, or to go to the NBA.

Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes are the early favorite
for the 2011-12 season. -Yahoo Images

1. Ohio State - Jared Sullinger has already announced that he will remain a Buckeye, so this early pick should be a safe one.  Any team anchored by Sullinger is one that should contend for a title.  Despite the loss of David Lighty and Jon Diebler, Ohio State has a promising young class of recruits that should push the Buckeyes to elite status once again in 2011-12.

2. North Carolina - If the Tar Heels can keep the likes of Harrison Barnes and John Henson for another year, this young team will be one to watch.  The Tar Heels have both the inside game, and strong perimeter threats that will make them a dangerous team.

3. Kentucky - In the usual coach Calipari fashion, the 2010 edition of the Wildcats was laden with talented freshman.  If he can keep a good portion of this team intact, and away from the riches of the NBA, Kentucky should be a contender in 2011-12.  Add the star freshman that will be heading to Lexington in the fall, with the current talent and experience of an Final Four run, and Kentucky will be a favorite in the coming year.

4. Duke - Not to be a broken record, but if Duke can keep Kyrie Irving away from the NBA, Duke will once again be great next year.  Add to an already stacked roster, Celtics coach Doc River's son Austin River's, and Duke will be a formidable foe in 2011-12.

5. Syracuse - This year ended much earlier than the Orange had planned, but don't forget about Syracuse next year.  An experienced group in Sccop Jardine, Brandon Triche, and Kris Joseph should lead Syracuse to a high finish in the Big East, and potentially a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

6. Kansas

7. UConn

8. Florida

9. Arizona (If they keep Derrick Williams)

10. Louisville

UConn Dominates Second Half En Route to Championship Win

The UConn Huskies dominated the second half of Monday night's Championship game, after trailing for much of the first half, and won Jim Calhoun's third National Title 53-41.  The Husky defense turned in one of the best defensive performances of recent basketball history as they held Butler to only 18 percent shooting for the entire game.  You can read all about Monday's game on mainstream news sources, but in honor of the end of the 2010-11 season, here is the Snider Sports Network's All-Tournament Team:

Tournament MVP: Kemba Walker, UConn
This award goes without saying as Kemba led the Big East's 9th place team to a truly historic late-season run.  After capping off a 5 win in 5 day feat at the Big East Tournament, many believed the Huskies would be too worn out for a deep tournament.  UConn not only had a deep run in them, but they had what it took to win the National Championship, the 3rd for coach Jim Calhoun.  Another tremendous accomplishment that UConn receives little credit for is the fact that they played in 3 tournaments this year and came home with the title all 3 times; first in Maui, then at Madison Square Garden, and finally in Houston at the National Championship.

First Team
G: Joey Rodirguez, VCU
G: Shelvin Mack, Butler
F: Marcus Morris, Kansas
F: Derrick Williams, Arizona
C: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State


Second Team
G: Brandon Knight, Kentucky
G: Jimmer Fredette, BYU
F: Jeremy Lamb, UConn
F: Terrence Jones, Kentucky
C: Alex Oriakhi, UConn

Butler Mascot Flies First Class to the Final Four

Blue 2, the mascot for Butler University, was finally allowed to travel with his team when the Bulldogs flew to Houston for the Final Four.  He not only had his own seat on the team's chartered flight, but he also got to meet the pilots, and pose with the ground crew in Indianapolis.  Check out these great pictures courtesy of TMZ Sports.

First Boise State, then Eastern Washington...Now Central Arkansas?

First it was Boise State who installed their infamous blue field in 1986.  Then, Eastern Washington followed last year when they installed their eye-sore of a red field.  Yesterday, which just so happens to be April Fools Day, Central Arkansas announced plans to install a grey and purple field for the upcoming season.  This may start a whole new trend of college football playing surfaces, or it may be the best April Fools gag of all time...well at least since last April, when LSU announced the addition of a purple field to Tiger Stadium, which turned out just to be a great hoax.

In honor of another colored field, I think this would be a great time for me to introduce my marketing plan for the WAC.  You already have an absurd name, so why not embrace your "wacky" roots, and market your conference with colored football fields? Boise State started the trend, so carry it on and allow teams like San Jose State to have a yellow field.  Or have Fresno State install a red turf, or even be bold and allow Idaho to purchase black turf for the Kibbie Dome.  With plenty of colors to go around, every team can have a unique field, and get their names out there to the rest of the country.

MLB Opening Day!!

In honor of Major League Baseball's Opening Day, here is a primer for the 2011 season.

American League Predictions


AL West: Texas Rangers
The AL West has been down in recent seasons, although the Rangers broke through and made an appearance in the World Series last year.  Look for the Rangers to repeat in this weak league, despite losing pitching star Cliff Lee.

AL Central: Chicago White Sox/Minnesota Twins
The AL Central looks to be a very heated race, with the White Sox, Twins, and Tigers all competing for a spot in the playoffs.  The White Sox and Twins seem to be the preseason favorites, but the Twins must keep stars Mauer and Morneau healthy.

AL East: Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox have arguably made the best off season acquisitions, putting them in perfect position to win the pennant.  The additions of Carl Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez, to go along with Boston's premier starting rotation, should put the Red Sox into the playoffs.

National League Predictions


NL West: San Francisco Giants
The Giants return all the key players from their run to the 2010 World Series title, which should put them in the playoffs again in 2011.  The key for the Giants will be their bats, as they have one of the league's best pitching staffs...the hitters just need to help them out!

NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals/Cincinnati Reds
Once again the Central Division looks to feature a contentious race, with almost any team having a legitimate shot at reaching the playoffs.  The Cardinals and Reds look to be the early season favorites, but watch out for the Milwaukee Brewers, who with hot bats, could steal the division.

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies
Any pick other than the Phillies to win the division would probably be a bad pick.  The addition of Cliff Lee to an already fierce starting rotation, should power Philadelphia past any competition that may surface.  The only issues that one can find with the Phil's is their recent taste of the injury bug, with Chase Utley and Brad Lidge being place on the 15-day DL.  If they can stay healthy throughout the duration of the season, the Phillies will easily move on to the playoffs.



World Series Prediction:  Phillies defeat Red Sox 4-2

Blooper of the Week...

Our blooper of the week for this final week of March, comes to us from the world of soccer.  I guess the moral of the story is watch where you're running, and don't jog behind soccer nets.

Links...

The Associated Press All-American team was released today, and to no surprise Jimmer Fredette was the leading vote-getter.

A Columbian soccer fan got to watch his local team play...from the comfort of his own coffin?

Was Charles Barkley drinking during the CBS halftime show?  Lastangryfan.com thinks he was...

VCU is proud to have spoiled millions of brackets this March...and they are not afraid to taunt you about it, as seen in their new fan t-shirts.

And, um apparently Ray's 3rd baseman Evan Longoria owns an AK-47...or, he did...

The Improbable Final Four...2 People Predicted it

You don't need me to tell you how crazy and unexpected this tournament has been.  The last two weeks have been filled with buzzer beaters, upsets, and busted brackets left and right.  My bracket was torn to shreds by the likes of VCU, Butler, Kentucky, Florida State, and many many others.

Despite all of the unprecedented results from this years tournament, 2 miraculous brackets have emerged on ESPN's Tournament Challenge (out of 5.9 million) that picked the correct Final Four of Kentucky, UConn,  Butler and VCU....Put into a percentage, that is only .00034% of the 5.9 million, that managed to get the correct combination of Final Four teams.  I don't know if it was pure luck, world-class basketball knowledge, or even psychic abilities, but what those two people accomplished was pretty amazing.  Especially due to all of the anti-VCU sentiment that came out of ESPN in light of the at-large birth that the Rams received on "Selection Sunday."

If the Final Four is anything like the rest of the tournament, Saturday should be a tremendous day for college sports, and especially for mid-majors.

Play of the Week

This week's play comes a little earlier than usual, but I have to pay tribute to my Wildcats and Derrick Williams.  Williams had a tremendous night against Duke, scoring 25 points in the first half, and possibly stating his case for a dunk contest berth as an NBA rookie next year.

As if this dunk wasn't enough, Williams threw down this vicious tomahawk dunk in the 2nd half.

(Sorry for the poor video quality)

Bring on the 2022 FIFA World Cup!

The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be a first for  soccer, as teams from around the world will travel to the desert of Qatar.  But more importantly, the event will feature a marvel of engineering...a remote control cloud that will shade and cool the pitch and spectators.  Dr. Saud Abdul Ghani will head the project, which is detailed here, courtesy of NBC's "Off the Bench."

"Dr Saud Abdul Ghani, head of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Qatar University, unveiled a design and construction of an artificial cloud to shade and cool the open playgrounds to be used in the 2022 World Cup in Doha. He told a local Arabic daily that the project will be executed in collaboration with Qatar Science and Technology Park."

"He said the artificial cloud will move by remote control, made of 100 percent light carbonic materials, fueled by four solar-powered engines and it will fly high to protect direct and indirect sun rays to control temperatures at the open playgrounds."

Is the Ice Haunted in LA?

If you think you have seen everything in the world of sports, think again! Near the end of the first period in last nights game featuring the Flames and the Kings, the unbelievable, the miraculous, the "what the hell" moment of perhaps NHL history occurred.  Flame, Jerome Iginla, fired a shot from the left side of the ice, straight through goalie Jonathan Quick's (what a great name for a goalie) legs...then the magic happened.  The puck, appearing only destined for the back of the net, took a right-turn and missed the goal wide right.  Here is a clip of the amazing, and perhaps haunted ice in Los Angeles:

Cowboy's Dez Bryant Banned From Dallas Mall

As if being locked-out of the teams practice facility wasn't bad enough, Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant is now locked out of the Dallas Mall for "low-hanging pants."  According to the police, when Bryant was stopped by mall security, he unleashed a verbal tirade on the officers, and refused to do anything until his attorney and representative were present.

Bryant on the other hand, had a much different story.  He told ESPN Dallas that his pants were up, but a few of his friends pants were hanging rather low.  He also said the reported outburst did not happen either.

“It really wasn’t me in the wrong,” Bryant said Tuesday. “It’s not even an issue.”

“I told the guy I’m not trying to get in trouble,” Bryant said. “I’m not trying to destroy my image. The [warning] wasn’t toward me. I was trying to figure out what was going on. It was a big misunderstanding. I was the wrong guy.”

Apparently according to ESPN again, Bryant has had previous issues at this particular shopping center, as he has been reported for cutting in line, and parking in a fire zone.  I don't know about you, but this all seems pointless... I'm not a fan of Dez Bryant, but I do think this seems like a smear campaign on his image.  Does cutting, and a parking violation really warrant a ESPN report?

Lebron Taking His Talents to Ellen...

Lebron James previously took his talents to South Beach...Now he took them to the Ellen Degeneres Show, and in particular her aerobics class.  That is about all that needs to be said, so enjoy the video. (His moves are actually pretty good)...

What if Alex Trebek Was a College Football Announcer?

Thanks to great work from "The Solid Verbal," now we are all able to enjoy the famed Jeopardy host calling one of the great games from the 2010-2011 season.  

Links...

The NFL passed a new rule today known as the "Boise Rule," which you can probably guess what it outlaws.

Staying with Idaho sports news, Idaho's head football coach Robb Akey claims the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl was "the most exciting bowl game ever."

Cameron Crazy alums are worried that the new breed of "crazies" aren't living up to past standards.

And, a great breakdown of the top-5 dumbest plays of the NCAA Tournament so far.

A Look Back at the First Weekend of the NCAA Tournament

Here's a recap of the major stories and news from the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

The Big East....or, the Big Least?

I'm wouldn't say the Big East is not a good conference after the first weekend of the tournament, but I do think they have vastly underperformed so far.  Yes, two games this weekend were between Big East teams (Marquette vs. Syracuse, and UCONN vs. Cincinnati), but the rest of the Big East was shown up by mediocre competition.  Exhibit A was the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, as they were dominated by Florida State.  Notre Dame only managed to shoot 35% from the field, and only 23% from behind the three-point line, while giving up 71 points to a Seminole team that isn't exactly known for their scoring.  Exhibit B was Georgetown due to the romping they received, courtesy of Virginia Commonwealth.  The Hoyas looked as though they had no business being on the same court as the Rams, who many thought didn't even deserve a spot in the field.  Georgetown only shot 38% from the field, and only allowed VCU to shoot 40%; however, the Rams still won the game by an 18 point margin.  Exhibit C was the Wildcats of Villanova after their choke-fest to end the game against George Mason.  Villanova led throughout the game and looked for most of the night like the better team...that is, until George Mason woke up and stunned Villanova in the final minutes.  Exhibit D goes to the Pittsburgh Panthers and their loss against the Butler Bulldogs.  I won't criticize Pitt too much other than the fact that they are perennial under achievers.  Butler played a great game, as despite the mayhem at the end, did deserve the victory. And finally, Exhibit E was, you guessed it, the Louisville Cardinals as they lost at the buzzer to Morehead State.  I think this one is self-explanatory as Morehead State proceeded to get killed by Richmond in the second round.  The Spiders were able to dominate in all aspects of the game against Morehead, whereas Louisville only could manage to keep the game close.


Surprises over the weekend...


1. Morehead State defeating Louisville at the buzzer
2. VCU's domination of Georgetown
3. Butler defeating Pittsburgh
4. Gonzaga's domination of St John's
5. Richmond in the Sweet 16



First weekend all tournament team...


G: David Lighty (Ohio State)
G: Jimmer Fredette (BYU)
Honorable mention Guards: Shelvin Mack (Butler), Kemba Walker (UConn), Joey Rodriguez (VCU)
F: Markieff Morris (Kansas)
F: Derrick Williams (Arizona)
C: Tyler Zeller (UNC)

Robles Wins National Championship

Anthony Robles, the senior wrestler from Arizona State who was born with only a left leg, was crowned National Champion Saturday night against Iowa's Matt McDonough.  The 125-pound match was essentially over in the first period, as Robles got out to fast start, while eventually winning 7-1.  The win capped off Robles' perfect season of 36-0, and showed the nation that anything is possible.  Robles stated in his post-match interview that the toughest thing about the win was just overcoming the pre-match jitters.

"I had a lot of butterflies going out there.,” said Robles, who admitted he’s most likely done as a competitive wrestler but wants to remain involved in one facet or another. “This year I think that was the biggest difference in my wrestling, was my mental game. Going into every match I was real relaxed, real calm. But before that, before this match, it was nothing but butterflies. I felt like I was going throw up, I was so scared I almost started crying.

“But it’s just the atmosphere. It’s the true athletes that are able to just overcome that."

Bloopers of the Week...

This was a great week for bloopers...here are two of the best:

Ben Higgins, Sports Director for ABC 10 News in San Diego, almost becomes road kill during his post-game coverage of San Diego State's win:

And, this is ultimate proof that karma does exist:

Links...

The Pac-10...er, Pac-12 unveiled its new logo today.

Michael Jordan thinks Derrick Rose should be the NBA MVP, and so does Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

Tennessee's Athletic Director Mike Hamilton let it slip on a radio interview today that Bruce Pearl may not return as the head basketball coach next year.

President Obama made his NCAA picks today...he went fairly conservatively as he picked all four #1 seeds in the Final Four, with Kansas winning the title.

The "tweet" of the day goes to Torii Hunter of the Anaheim Angels...why again was Twitter invented?

NCAA Tourney Costs Employers...

If you notice a slight decline in attendance at the office over the next few weeks, the NCAA Tournament is probably to blame.  According to Challenger Gray & Christmas Inc. the tourney costs American companies countless hours and dollars in worker productivity.

Thanks to online viewing of the dance, workers can now stream games live at their desk, hidden behind the array a spreadsheets and emails.  Challenger estimates that viewers will likely spend 8.4 million hours watching games online, and end up costing their companies around $192 of lost productivity.

Now I don't think workers slacking off is the best idea, but come on, the NCAA Tournament should be a national holiday.  Even this guy took some time off the job last year to fill out his bracket with ESPN's Andy Katz.

Final Four Predictions

EAST: Ohio State


It's hard not to pick the #1 team in the country, and a team that cruised to a Big-Ten Tournament title over the weekend.  The Buckeyes are one of the deepest teams in the field and have the ability to dominate the paint with Sullinger and Lauderdale. What makes them the team to beat is that they can also step out and shoot the three at will.  Diebler leads the team in  3-point shooting, and David Lighty's senior experience should carry the Buckeyes to the Final Four.  The only issue I see for Ohio State is the difficulty of their bracket.  Teams like Syracuse, North Carolina, and Kentucky all have the talent and the potential to send Ohio State packing early.



WEST: Duke...maybe?


The West was arguably the hardest region to pick in this years tourney. Duke is definitely the favorite in this region, but Texas, San Diego State, UCONN, and even Arizona all have strong chances to come out of the West.  The key for Duke will be their 3-point shooting, and staying out of foul trouble.  When Duke knocks down their three's, they are almost unbeatable, but when they struggle from behind the arc they tend to lose games. (eg. Against North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia Tech, and St John's)


SOUTHWEST: Kansas


Kansas, like Ohio State, looks to be one of the teams to beat.  After a disappointing early departure from last years tournament at the hands of Northern Iowa, Kansas looks to rebound. Their solid inside play with the Morris twins, and the great guard play of Brady Morningstar, Josh Selby and Tyshawn Taylor should be too much for anyone in their region.  They may face roadblocks however, in a dangerous Louisville team, and potentially against Notre Dame in the Elite-8.  I think the Irish have the best chance to beat the Jayhawks, but I am still confident that Kansas will make a run to the Final Four.


SOUTHEAST: Umm...Pitt....no, Florida...no, St. Johns...?


When I said the West was arguably the hardest region to pick, I meant it was pretty hard.  This bracket on the other hand was just brutal.  There are potentially 7 teams that can come out of this region and move on to the Final Four.  I'm going to go with the Red Storm of St John's, based on their great play against ranked teams this year.  Their inexperience scares me a little bit, but I don't like Pittsburgh after their early Big East Tourney departure, and Florida is a very overrated 2-seed.  St John's was 6-5 against Top-25 teams this year, and are 11-1 in their last 12 games.  Steve Lavin has done a tremendous job in his first year at St John's, so look for the Red Storm to move on to Houston....That is, unless Gonzaga beats them in the first round...

Pre-Tournament Primer

First off, the NCAA selection committee created some great match-ups as usual, but at the same time teams like Virginia Tech, Colorado, Alabama, and St Mary's got robbed.  Virginia Tech was fresh off a semi-finals appearance in the ACC tournament, and defeated Duke only two weeks ago.  Colorado defeated Texas, and Kansas State 3 different times, both of whom are in the field of 68.  VCU and UAB, the letter teams, do not deserve bids in the tourney, especially due to their weak out of conference schedule, and record against top-50 teams.

First round games to watch:

(8)Michigan v. (9)Tennessee- This match-up features 2 middle of the road NCAA teams, but should provide a great and entertaining first round game. The Wolverines have no seniors on the roster, and their youth may be a hindrance, although they have found a go-to-guy late in the season in Tim Hardaway Jr.   Tennessee has responded nicely to a rough early start, and the 8 game suspension of Coach Bruce Pearl.  Both these teams average in the high 60's or higher in scoring, and like to attack the basket.  This is a very hard game to pick, but Tennessee probably has the experience to prevail.

(7)UCLA v. (10)Michigan State- Michigan State and UCLA had only mediocre seasons by their standards, but both teams should fare well in the tourney, as long as they can win this first-round game.  UCLA has won 9 of their last 12, and has great wins during the season in BYU, and their trouncing of Arizona at home.  The Spartans have struggled at times, but when March comes around they seem to always shine.  Bad years, by Michigan St. standards, tend to turn around as soon as the tournament begins. The team that wins this game should match up well with an overrated Florida team, so don't be surprised if the Bruins or Spartans find themselves in the "Sweet-16."

Other games of note:
(5)Kansas State v. (12)Utah State
(7)Texas A&M v. (10)Florida State
(6)Georgetown v. (11)USC or VCU (Should be USC)
(5)Vanderbilt v. (12)Richmond (*Upset potential!)

Look for the Snider Sports Network's Final Four predictions that will come out later in the week.

The Ultimate Baseball Fan Guide

Are you a rookie fan looking for a MLB team to follow, or are you just interested in finding the right team for your personal preferences?  Well we have the answer for you...Start in the center of this baseball fan flowchart and answer the various questions to find your favorite team.

(Click on the chart to zoom in)

More NCAA Football Arrests

With the Sports Illustrated report regarding arrests in college football only around a week old, there are now more to add to the list.  Auburn kicked four players off their team today after recently being charged with robbery, burglary, and theft.  Here is a link to the story.

In similar fashion, 2 Michigan State players were arrested after a recent altercation at an Aspen, Colorado bar.  Neither Auburn nor Michigan State were on the Top-25 list published by the Sports Illustrated report, but theses recent events may send them into the rankings.

What is disappointing about this story is how Sports Illustrated reported it.  Any previous run-in with authorities was reported in their findings, with no mention of the severity of the offense.  Boise State, for instance, was number 4 on the list, but after Boise news sources dug into the players' records, it was determined that almost every player only had a traffic violation on their record, or a "minor in possession of alcohol."

Whereas at other schools, including Oregon and Auburn, a good deal of the arrests were for major offenses such as burglaries.

Virginia Blows 10-Point Lead...With 30 Seconds Left

In order to blow a ten point lead, you really don't have to work too hard.  All the other team really has to do is go on a quick run and hit a few baskets.  In order to blow a ten point lead with 38 seconds left, it takes some serious skill.  Virginia had three chances, yes 3 chances, to inbound the ball, get fouled, and make a few foul shots.  Well, they blew them all and Miami capitalized, and eventually won the game in OT.  Here is a clip of the mayhem:

Links...

Do you have a child and want to know their athletic potential?  Well here is the information for you.

Michael Jordan knows who his MVP is.

The Big East officials from yesterday's Rutgers debacle have decided to withdraw from the tournament.

Yogi Berra was taken to the hospital today for precautionary measures after falling.

And finally, the haircut of the day.

Rutgers SCREWED By Big East Officials

Justin Brownlee runs towards the sidelines as time expires
(NY Times)

I have seen some terrible calls over the years watching sports, but nothing compares to what happened Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in the Big East Tournament.  With 4.9 seconds on the clock Rutgers was inbounding the ball with a chance to either tie, or win the game with a 3.  The Rutgers player heaved the ball across half court and after what looked like a St. Johns foul, a St. Johns player ended up with the ball.  Thats when the situation got out of control.

Justin Brownlee ended up with the tipped ball and ran towards the sidelines as the clock slowly ticked away.  With about a second and a half on the clock, Brownlee stepped out of bounds near the scorer's table, along with taking four steps without dribbling the ball.  He then finished it all off by chucking the ball out of bounds with time still remaining on the clock.

What you would assume is that the referees would confer and put time back on the clock because of the travel, or the fact that Brownlee stepped on the sideline.  However, the refs raced up the tunnel and towards the locker room before any review was initiated, or even talked about.  St. Johns won the game by a margin of 65-63, when clearly, and I mean CLEARLY, the game should have continued.

Luckily, the head of NCAA officiating, John Adams made a statement following the game stating that the call was "unacceptable," and there was "definitely a mistake made."  The loss will be hard to swallow for Rutgers though, since they at least should have had another shot to send the game to OT, or to win outright.  Its a shame that a team, especially one without tournament hopes, should have to end their season in that manner.

Here is a clip of the atrocity:

Sluggerrr Sued For Doing His Job as a Mascot

Sluggerrr isn't that terrifying of a guy, but apparently to John Coomer he is.  Coomer testified this week that  he suffered a severe eye injury, when his eye was the recipient of a thrown hot dog in 2009.  The Kansas City Star was great when covering this story.  Here is their story:

"In his lawsuit, Coomer said that Sluggerr attempted to heave the frank into the stands with a behind-the-back throw.  Instead of placing the hot dog in a high arch, Sluggerrr lost control and threw it right into Coomer's eye, the suit alleged."


"At the stadium, he fired some hot dogs through an air cannon. Those dogs wore bubble-wrap blankets.  But the ones Sluggerrr threw by hand were wrapped in foil.  Shores described multiple types of tosses, including underhand, overhand, and behind-the-back."


"During cross examination, Hofer showed Shores a video of a toss he made during a 2009 game and invited him to discuss the hot dog's 'arc' and 'velocity' as it sailed away."

What bothers me is the fact that this man was at a baseball game.  Your job as a fan at any sport, but especially baseball, is to constantly be on the lookout for flying debris from the field, court, etc.  If a bat, or ball has a chance to hit you in the face at a high velocity, you should at least be able to avoid a hot dog.