The BCS Being Reviewed by Congress

The Bowl Championship Series is coming under fire once again, and this time it's not just by fans and talking media heads. This time, it's being looked at by the United States Congress. The Senate will be holding hearings next week on the BCS and whether or not it violates anti-trust laws. Orrin Hatch (Senator from Utah) believes that the BCS is in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act which prohibits contracts, combinations or conspiracies designed to reduce competition. “I don’t think a more accurate description of what the BCS does exists,” Hatch wrote. He noted that six conferences get automatic bids to participate in the BCS, while others are specifically left out. Hatch said the system, “intentionally and explicitly favors certain participants.” It'll be interesting to see what comes of this, if anything at all. It doesn't look as if the NCAA is going to change the current format anytime soon, so this may be our last hope for a playoff system. We will keep our eyes open and see how this one shakes out!

Yao's Career Over?

The word on the street isn't good. Yao's injury is bad, and well frankly it has worsened. Rockets team physician, Tom Clanton, said that the injury could be season-ending and even career-threatening. Right now, the Rockets have no idea exactly how long Yao will be out. Most of it will depend on the course of treatment that Yao chooses, and how his foot responds to that treatment. Clanton said that a CT scan revealed that Yao's foot failed to heal as expected, and he now may have to go into surgery. Yao was suppose to be the centerpiece of the Rockets franchise for years to come, yet now all of that is in jeopardy. The NBA free agent season is set to open tonight, and it's possible now that the Rockets will have to go looking for a replacement. It'll be interesting to see what the Rockets do, and if they try to replace Yao, if only for a season.

Roddick Advances at Wimbledon

American hopeful, Andy Roddick, has advanced to the Round of 16 at Wimbledon once again. Roddick has never won the Wimbledon title, yet he does have two second place finishes at the All England Club. Roddick was able to hold on and beat Jurgen Melzer in a 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-3 win. Behind his electric serve, he was able to outlast Melzer and win two sets by tiebreaker points. Roddick finished the match with 33 aces. Roddick will now have to face Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic. If he can defeat Berdych he will advance to the quarterfinals. In other Wimbledon news, Murray, Haas, and Hewitt, also advanced to the Round of 16 on the men's side.

Oudin Ousts Jankovic

Once again an American woman is dominating the headlines at Wimbledon. However, this time it's not one of the Williams' sisters that's making the news. It's 17 year old Melanie Oudin from Marietta, Georgia. Oudin has fought her way into the Round of 16, at the biggest grass tournament in the world. She ousted former number one ranked Jelena Jankovic today in the third round, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in tournament history. Ranked No. 124 in the world, Oudin had to win three qualifying matches just to get into the Grand Slam event. However, this isn't her first rodeo. She's played in two other Grand Slam tournaments as well, but has never made it out of the first round. She's still very young, and has a ton of upside. I seriously doubt that she advances on to the next round, but nonetheless she has made her mark and will continue to get better. Oudin will definitely be a contender in the coming years.

Lebron, Shaq, and the Cavs

As most everyone knows at this point, the Phoenix Suns traded Shaq to the Cavaliers for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round pick in next year’s draft and $500,000. And just as soon as it happened, all of the talking heads in the media claimed how great a fit it would be to have Lebron and Shaq in the same lineup. All the while, I was thinking....what in the hell are they doing!? Shaq is a 37 year old guy that has put his best years behind him. He's no longer a spring chicken, by any means. Lebron doesn't need another big guy to clog the lane for him. Lebron has Ilgauskas to do that for him. He needs a wing player that can stand outside the arc and knock down 3's, a guy that can grab 10 or 12 rebounds a game, and be a defensive stopper. He needs a Scottie Pippen or a Robert Horry, or maybe a Bruce Bowen, but not a 300lb man that can't run the floor. Lebron is at his best when he's in transition, or driving the lane. It's hard to push the ball with a center that can barely make it past half court. They've tried this already with Ilgauskas, it doesn't work. We've seen this movie before, and it never ends well. I hope for Lebron that it does, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Blake Griffin, The Excitement, and The Curse

As most everyone knows by now, Blake Griffin was selected as the #1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Griffin had an outstanding career with Oklahoma, and he's a phenomenal physical specimen. He's a great rebounder, and a superb finisher around the rim. He does lack a solid post-up game, but that will come with time and practice. Griffin has brought an air of excitement to the Clippers, and they are hoping he can turn the fortunes of a struggling franchise. "He can be great," USC's Demar DeRozan said. "You really don't see big men as athletic as Blake Griffin was. I had the chance to play against him this year. Just to see how talented he is and how big and strong he is, is amazing." However, Griffin will not just be battling the fact that he's playing with a horrible franchise, he'll also be fighting against the curse of the LA Clippers. It's bad enough having to share the same city with the storied Lakers, and Kobe Bryant, but it's even worse trying to pull the team up out of mediocrity. The Clippers have been so bad for so long, that it's moved from a trend to a curse. It's not quite as bad as the Cubs, but give it time.

Blake, I know you're a great kid and a great basketball player. However, I'm not sure you're even good enough to break the curse of the Clippers! Good luck!

Augie Garrido and His Crazy Year

Tonight, the Texas Longhorns will face the LSU Tigers in the championship game of the College World Series. Once again, Augie Garrido has his Longhorns in a position to win another national championship, yet many consider him lucky to still have a job. Garrido, who has already won five national titles with two different schools, was arrested earlier this year while driving drunk. Texas decided to suspend him for four games at the beginning of the year. The 70-year-old Garrido, who pleaded guilty to DUI and will be sentenced after the season, said he used the incident as a teaching opportunity for himself and his team. The players said that their coach’s arrest, and its fallout, only made them stronger and closer.

Garrido had met some old friends for dinner on a Friday night at a restaurant in Austin. While eating, he also had a few glasses of win. On his way home, he then stopped at a bar to see a friend. Police pulled him over just a few blocks from his condo because he had forgotten to turn on his car lights. He ended up having to spend a night in jail. Garrido said that he had drunk five glasses of wine that night.

Garrido admitted that he feared for his job. He said that he had failed to adhere to his own creed, which was to "do what's right." Garrido said, “I did not do what was right. What we lose in that situation is freedom, control, respect and trust,” he said. “Those four things went out the window.” Garrido stood up and admitted his mistake, and took full responsibility for his actions. His players had already respected him as a coach, but now they had even more respect for him as a man. “He showed us that he’s a leader by taking responsibility for it and making an example of himself,” said Longhorn's pitcher Chance Ruffin.

Tonight, Garrido will go for his 6th national championship and his third in the last seven years.

La Pistola and the NBA

In a seaside village, just miles outside of Barcelona lives one of the best point guards that no American has ever heard of...well for now. His name is Ricky Rubio, yet the people of Spain call him La Pistola, Spain's version of Pistol Pete Maravich. However, he will most likely become the 2nd overall pick in this years NBA Draft behind Blake Griffin. Why do we know so little about him...why haven't we heard more? Mostly because the kid never spoke much, or granted any interviews. His parents and his club team wouldn't allow it. For the most part, he's been kept in a bubble and hardwired for basketball since a very young age. Marc Calderon, his U14 coach, said "He reads basketball at a velocity very few can achieve." He reads the court like a veteran, yet distributes the ball with the flair and elegance of a youthful Magic Johnson. An Eastern exec said "He's the European LeBron James. He's not so crazy strong, but he does other things: the creativity, the Maravich-type stuff. He brings people out of their chairs, and he'll put them in your stands. He's a top-three pick." A couple of big-market European teams have already offered him NBA-type money, up to 2.5 million euros (nearly $4 million) to play for them. Yet, Rubio is too competitive to pass up the chance to play night after night against the world's best. He's coming to the NBA in 2009, let's see if he can live up to the hype.

It's been a long journey back!

Welcome back David Duval! It's been a long time coming. Once the #1 player in the world and the 2001 British Open Champion, yet since 2002 he's been missing in action. He has courageously battled depression, a back injury, a break-up with his fiancee, and vertigo. He is winless in his last eight years of golf...yes I said eight! He had plummeted from #1 to #882 in the rankings coming into the US Open this weekend. No one gave him a chance to even make the cut at Bethpage Black, unless win the thing. Yet, on Monday he was tied for the lead after sinking three straight birdies on the back nine. However, his fairy tale ended with a 5-foot par putt on the 17th that spun 180 degrees out of the cup. Nevertheless, it was good to see him back at top form, battling the PGA's best players like he once did. Few men have faced the amount of turmoil in a lifetime as he has, and if anyone deserves a break then it is Duval. As much as I was pulling for my fellow Tiger, Lucas Glover, I was also cheering just as loudly for David Duval. It only seems right to cheer for someone like him, for someone who has survived so much, and never stopped fighting. It's only right to cheer for a man that has given so much to the game he loves. For that, I will always stand up and applaud him.

Father's Day Story

For the last two weeks, I've been writing in this blog about different sporting events. Mainly about the NBA Finals, the College World Series, and even a little tennis. However, I want to shift the focus of my blog to a new perspective from this point forward. Don't get me wrong, this will still be a sports blog, but I want to bring more passion and personality to it. I want to tell you great sports stories. So from now on, I'll try and bring you a more personal touch and still give you great information in the process. So on this Father's Day, it's only right to bring you a story about a father, a son, and sports.

On April 2 of this year, Todd Kalas jumped in his vehicle and drove to Clearwater, Florida. His impulse wasn't something that was typical for him. See, Todd Kalas has a broadcasting job with the Tampa Bay Rays, and generally it keeps him rather busy. However, on this faithful day, he felt the urge to go visit his father, Harry Kalas, at the Phillies spring training facility. Little did he know that it would be the last time he would see his father alive. As most of us MLB fans know, the legendary broadcaster passed away on April 13 just shortly before he was suppose to announce a Phillies baseball game. It's difficult for Todd to understand why he drove there on that day. Todd recalls,"I don't know why, but I felt it was necessary to be at that game and spend a few minutes together afterward." Since Harry Kalas' death, baseball fans from across the nation have shared memories of the broadcaster as a warm and generous baseball fanatic. Todd Kalas recalled the same qualities in his father. "He was incredibly compassionate to everyone he met," Todd Kalas said. "He didn't just give people a quick handshake or brush-off. He was consistently generous with his time. I try to live up to that, and I can't always do it." As most of you know, last season the TB Rays played the Phillies in the World Series. Todd can barely believe it happened. "I think there was something else at work for that to happen in what turned out to be his last season," Todd Kalas said. "The odds were one in a million of the Rays and Phillies playing each other in the World Series, and for that to be our final season together. . . . We really cherished every moment we had together during that time." So on this Father's Day, let us remember that time is fleeting. It is just a small drop of sand in the hourglass of humanity. Don't let it pass you by without cherishing every opportunity to love those that love you, and to bring compassion and joy to others.

CWS News

LSU will play Texas on Monday night in the CWS championship round. Both teams will be throwing their ace pitchers. Righthander Chance Ruffin (10-2, 3.27 earned run average) will start for Texas and righthander Louis Coleman (14-2, 2.68) for LSU in the first game of a best two-of-three series. It should be an exciting and fun series. Texas likes to play the small-ball game, using the bunt and steal to perfection. On the other hand, LSU likes to use the long-ball game, and they've already hit 9 homeruns in the last three games.

CWS !

Updating the College World Series, both UVA and UNC have been eliminated from Omaha. The two ACC clubs fell into the losers bracket and were unable to come through and find a way to win. UVA was knocked off by Arkansas last night 4-3 in a close and hard fought game. UVA had a nice post-season run, winning the ACC tournament and then advancing through the Super Regionals into the CWS. UNC also ended their season once again in the College World Series, unfortunately they're turning into the Buffalo Bills. They've found a way to get there regularly, yet they just can't find a way to win the thing. Maybe next year Tarheel fans! Arkansas will now have to beat LSU twice in order to advance to the Championship, while Arizona State would have to do the same against Texas.

College World Series

The College World Series is now in full force, as pool play begins to wind down. Yesterday, UNC knocked off S.Miss and eliminated them from the CWS, while Texas beat Arizona State. Texas is undefeated in their pool, while UNC and Arizona St will now play in an elimination game. In the other pool, LSU is unbeaten and will have to play the winner of the Arkansas vs. Virginia game. As for now, LSU and Texas look to be the teams to beat.

Bryce Harper....remember the name!

The MLB draft has come and gone for the 2009 season. We all heard the name of Stephen Strasburg, and we heard how he would eventually throw the baseball harder and faster than any other human being in the history of the game. He's been clocked at 103mph, but by the time he's through maturing, his velocity could max out at 106 or 107mph. The fastest pitch ever thrown has been highly debated, some say Nolan Ryan, others say Mark Wohlers, and recently it's been said that Joel Zumaya was clocked at 104.8mph. No matter what the answer is, Strasburg should obliterate it in the next few years. However, what if I told you there was a 15 year old kid that could hit a baseball 570ft? What if I said, at age 16, this same kid hit the longest homerun in the history of Tropicana Field? Would you believe me? What if I told you, this kid's bat speed is faster than Mark McGwire's in his prime, that he runs so fast he's scored 6 times on wild pitches this year....from second base, that when he catches he picks off players on his knees, and when he pitches he can throw a fastball 96mph? Incredible huh, but true. Bryce Harper's so good, in fact, he just quit high school so he could get his GED and enroll in junior college to play a higher level of baseball. Not only will the baseball be more challenging, but it will also make him eligible for the 2010 draft and most likely the #1 overall pick. So why is there all this fuss about him leaving high school early, and why is everyone saying his parents should know better than to let him do this? If he's the overall #1 pick he'll make at least $30 million guaranteed, and be set for life. I understand that education is important, but a good education is a means to an end. You graduate high school and college in order to get a better job and make more money for yourself. Why finish college or high school for that matter, if you can make the money before then? Education is a means to an end...Bryce Harper's means to an end is baseball. Let him pursue it, let his parents do what's best for him, and just sit back and enjoy the show.

NBA Champions Crowned and the CWS

The Lakers finished off the Magic tonight, with a 99-86 victory in Orlando. The Magic came out fast and jumped on the Lakers early in the 1st quarter of Game 5. However, the Lakers were not to be denied as they took the lead in the second quarter and never relinquished it. With the win tonight, Phil Jackson garnered his tenth NBA Championship, one for every digit. He now stands alone in the pantheon of great NBA coaches, as he surpassed Auerbach and his nine titles. Not only did Phil cement his legacy as the greatest NBA coach tonight, but Kobe also was able to step outside the shadow of Shaq and win a championship without him. Kobe was able to get his 4th championship tonight, and I'm betting this one was sweeter than the first three. Kobe wants to be the greatest player of all time, and he is at least in the argument now. He's still no Michael, and I'm not sure he ever will be. However, he is a tremendous player and talent, and was able to prove that again this year.

In Omaha today, Texas took down Cinderella with a 7-6 victory. Southern Miss put up a valiant effort, but in the end Texas found a way to win again. Arizona State and UNC ended up in a pitchers duel thru 9innings, and were tied 1-1. However, in the tenth inning Arizona State was able to score 4 runs and hang on for a 5-2 win. Tomorrow, CS Fullerton will take on Virginia in an elimination game, and Arkansas will battle LSU for the lead spot in their grouping. Let's see if CS Fullerton can bounce back after being considered the favorite going into the CWS. Virginia won't go away easily though, so that should be fun to watch.

Baseball and More Baseball!

The College World Series kicked off in Omaha on Saturday, as Arkansas took out Cal State Fullerton 10-6. LSU also defeated Virginia 9-5. In today's action, UNC will take on Arizona State at 2pm and Texas will play Southern Miss at 7pm. I'm really intrigued by the UNC vs. Arizona State matchup. This should be one heck of a baseball game. Both of these teams have excellent pitching, and this very well could be a pitching duel. Southern Miss has been the Cinderella thusfar in the tournament, so we'll see if they can keep their magical run alive as they play a gritty and tough Texas team.

Interleague Play Heats Up

Interleague play kicked into high gear on Friday evening as the Subway Series got off to an interesting start. The NY Metropolitans had the Yankees beat in their own ballpark, but ultimately gave the game away on a routine pop up to the 2nd baseman with 2outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Way to go Mets! In other news, Toronto's ace pitcher, Halladay was pulled in the 4th inning of tonight's game because of a groin injury. That's a huge loss for the Bluejays if he's out for any length of time at all.

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Lakers win or Magic lose?

Lakers knocked off the Magic 99-91 in OT of Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead in the series. However, it wasn't the Lakers that won this game. It was the Magic that lost it. The Magic was up 5 late in the 4th quarter and basically gave the game away. Derek Fisher hit a big 3pt shot with less than 5 secs to go to tie the game and send it into OT. It was all Lakers in the OT period, and they pulled away late. However, the Magic can only blame themselves for this loss. They had 19 turnovers in the game and 15 missed freethrows, including two huge freethrows that Howard missed late in the 4th that could have sealed the game. Give the Lakers credit though, they took advantage of a young Magic team that hasn't found a way to close games out yet. With the loss, this will put the Magic's back against the wall. Every game from here on out will be an elimination game, so let's see the Magic react. My guess is they'll come out hard and probably take Game 5, but the Lakers should close this thing out in Game 6.

NBA Finals Preview

Game 4 of the NBA Finals will be played Thursday night in Orlando, and this game will go a long way in deciding who will win this year's NBA title. If the Magic can continue to make Kobe a passer instead of a scorer, then they'll have a chance to pull off another close victory. However, if they let Kobe get his points then he could very well put the nail in the coffin Thursday night. Quite frankly, the best closer in the game (Kobe) choked in Game 3 as he committed key turnovers down the stretch to give Orlando the win. However, give Ron Jeremy....I mean Stan Van Gundy credit for making the correct adjustments and sending multiple double teams at Kobe. Kobe tried to force his way through the double teams rather than giving up the ball to his teammates, and that ultimately cost them the victory in Game 3. It'll be interesting to see how Phil Jackson counters and what adjustments the Lakers will make in order to free Kobe up more.

Basketball and Baseball....oh my!

It was a great day to be a sports fan! You had the 3rd Game of the NBA Finals, some good MLB action on the diamond, and the first day of the MLB draft as well. First off, Dwight Howard and the Magic held on to win over Kobe and the Lakers 108-104. The Magic shot the ball much better at home, and led basically the entire way. However, the Lakers did make a run at the end of the game only to come up a little short. This was a huge W for the Magic as it closed the series to 2-1. Now, if the Magic can come up with another home win, next time out, they'll make this thing a series after all.

Just a little news concerning the MLB draft that kicked off today, Stepen Strasburg, the 103mph throwing phenom, was taken first overall by the Washington Nationals. The Nationals had the first pick last year and couldn't come to terms with Aaron Crow because of Crow's $4 million request. If they think they're going to sign Strasburg for less than $4 million, then they're sadyly mistaken. Look for this kid to set a new bar in terms of money because of his flame-throwing ability. Speaking of Aaron Crow, he was drafted 12th overall this year, by the KC Royals. He looks to be ready to pitch by 2010, and should be a helpful arm for the Royals in years to come.

The College World Series is Set and More!

The field for the 2009 College World Series is now set. CS Fullerton will take on Arkansas and LSU will face Virginia on Saturday in the first set of games. On Sunday, UNC will go up against Arizona St while Texas will go up against the Cinderalla squad from Southern Miss. I was able to catch quite a few of the super regional games, and I have to say this should be quite an interesting CWS. Arizona St has a couple of dominant pitchers, and are a very scrappy team at the plate. Texas will bunt you to death and not think twice about it. UNC my have the most talented team in the country and can win in a variety of ways. It should be fun to watch and we'll see how this thing shakes out!

Tennis, NCAA Baseball, and NBA Basketball

Today is jam-packed in terms of the sports world. Earlier this morning, Roger Federer finally earned his first ever French Open title. He dispatched of Soderling, after Soderling had upset Nadal earlier in the tournament. Roger Federer won his record-tying 14th major title. Does this make Federer the greatest tennis player to ever lace them up? Let the debate begin! He made an impressive statement today, by overwhelming Soderling 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-4 in straight sets. He tied Pete Sampras' record by winning today, and will try to overtake Sampras by winning Wimbledon in a few weeks. Personally, I've never seen another tennis player with his poise and calm. Given the choice between him and Sampras, I'd take Federer everytime!

Another sporting event, I've been keeping my eye on this weekend is the NCAA baseball Super Regionals. As of this moment, several teams have already punched their ticket to Omaha and the College World Series. Those teams are LSU, UNC, Virginia, CS Fullerton, and Arkansas. Three spots remain and will be decided by tomorrow. TCU/Texas are tied at 1 game apiece. Southern Miss is up 1-0 on Florida, and Ariz St is up 1-0 on Clemson. I'll be supporting my Clemson Tigers tonight, but it's not looking good for their chances to move on. We'll see what happens and who can advance on to Omaha!

Another big sporting event taking place tonight, is Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Kobe and the Lakers got off to a hot start in Game 1 and trounced the Orlando Magic. Let's see what kind of adjustments the Magic can make to get back in this series. Stan Van Gundy will have his work cut out for him against the HOF coach Phil Jackson. If I'm Van Gundy, I'm pounding the ball into Superman aka Dwight Howard, and making him the focus point of my offense. He's got to get touches in order for the Magic to win. If he gets the ball in the post, it'll spread the defense of the Lakers more and therefore give the Magic shooters (Lewis, Austin, and company) better 3pt looks. I'd love to see the Magic win Game 2 and make this a competitive series.