Jackson not so Illustrious anymore

Phil Jackson, the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Is in a coaching rut. His team has not won a playoff series since the departure of Shaquille O'Neal. The Lakers have went out in the first round the past two years.

Kobe Bryant, the team's only true star as of right now, is quoted as saying,

"Do it and do it now," he said. "Personally for me, it's beyond frustration -- three years and still being at ground zero. This summer's a big summer. We have to see what direction we want to take as an organization and make those steps and make them now."

I am not ready to say that Jackson is done coaching, because he is not a quitter, but is the time getting near where he should just accept the 9 NBA Championship rings and leave it at that? He has lost his possiblity of winning championships since the departure of Shaq ending the Shaq-Kobe duo that was so intrumental in winning championships.

Who does Phil turn to, to be the next big players to win? Or is it time to throw in the towel?

So Dirk, finally has a shot at the MVP and is taking alot of criticsm. Mavs were down 3 games to one, until last nights game in Dallas.
The Mavericks who were up by 21 at halftime, almost let the game slip out towards the end.

If Dallas were to lose in the first round against Golden State, it would make the first time in NBA history a team who totaled a regular season win of 65 games and a first round loss.

The Mavs seemed to pull it together after letting a 21 point led at half slip away. With just a few minutes left in the game, Dallas down 9, Dirk and co. stepped it up and avoided a early exit from the 2007 playoffs.

Other then Dirk finally hitting shots and being able to get by Golden State, always stepping up in the playoffs is point guard and good friend of mine, Devin Harris.
Harris scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, with a game total of 16points .

The Mavericks have 2 games left to prove their 65 wins this season was not a fluke. The Mavs and Warriors square off for game 6 on Thursday at Golden State.

The Newest Major Rivalry

With record breaking numbers being seen throughout the major leagues, a new rivalry has been formed between the steroid raging Barry Bonds and baseball's golden boy Alex Rodriguez, or at least the media would like you to think so.

Although A-Rod recently failed to break the "Month of April Home Run Record" (he only tied the previous record set by the Cardinals Albert Puljos at 14) his power hitting seems to be all that baseball fans can talk about this season. And with Bonds now only 13 homers away from the all time home run leader, Hank Aaron, his quest to break one of the most sacred records in the sporting world has been overshadowed. Even though Bonds had his best opening season since April of 1996, when he hit 11 home runs and notched 32 RBI's, no one is willing to remove the 28 million dollar man (who by the way took about 4 years to prove his worth it) from his pedestal and mention the pill-popping junkie.

Now, obviously I'm no fan of Barry Bonds either. I actually find it kind of funny that if A Rod stays on track he could potentially hit over 100 home runs this season. I find it even funnier that if he continues his career numbers and only hits 30 home runs a season from here on out, he'll be in Bonds all time record range by the time he's 40. So then what's the point?

I find it ridiculous that while Barry Bonds suffers simply because he was the only person actually caught using performance enhancing drugs his numbers are over looked while Alex Rodriguez is drooled over by the media and fan alike. Hasn't anybody noticed his considerable change in over all size since he first appeared in the big-leagues? I realize that there are a few out there have written on the subject and questioned his liegitimacy as a player, but for the most part, and more specifically this past month, he has been nothing but glorified for his incredible numbers while Bonds remains ridiculed and seemingly forgotten. I'm not syaing I want Bonds in the headlines, in fact I'd prefer not to hear about him either. I'm only suggesting that before we bow down to all that is A Rod, maybe we should keep in mind that that the MLB is a level playing field these days.

IU Will Play Georgia Tech in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

The schedule for the 2007 ACC/Big Ten Challenge was recently announced and Indiana will be playing the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. The game will be played at Assembly Hall at 7:00PM on ESPN. IU head coach Kelvin Sampson had this to say about the game, "It will be a great game, Georgia Tech has a great tradition and will be one of the better teams in the ACC. It's a great opportunity for us." This game appears to be a pretty tough match up for IU but may get a lot easier if Georgia Tech sophomores to be Thaddeus Young and Javaris Crittenton remain in the NBA draft.

Young and Crittenton were highly touted coming out of high school and both tied for team lead in points per game as true freshman this past season at Georgia Tech with both players averaging 14 a game. Neither player has signed with an agent so both could return to school.

Other interesting match ups in the challenge for next season include the North Carolina at Ohio State game. Both teams lose key players from this past season with Ohio St. losing Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., and Daequan Cook. UNC is losing Brandan Wright but returns a number of key players from last seasons squad. The Wisconsin at Duke game should be a good match up although both teams lost key players with Wisconsin losing Alando Tucker and Duke Josh McRoberts.

Moss to Pats

When you deal with nitroglycerine, there is one fundamental and inescapable rule of thumb: If you want to keep your thumbs -- or, for that matter, retain any other atom of your physical anatomy -- handle with care.
On Sunday morning, the NFL's master chemist, Bill Belichick of New England, decided to add perhaps the most combustible element in the league to a Patriots locker room where the chemistry is one of near-perfect balance. But lest explosive yet enigmatic wide receiver Randy Moss be misled into believing he will mess with the equilibrium created by Belichick, personnel chief Scott Pioli, owner Bob Kraft and the band of veteran leaders they have assembled, the five-time Pro Bowl player should be forewarned.
Belichick doesn't put on the kid gloves for anyone. Not even for a player who possesses the kind of impressive skills, and big-play component, Moss brings to the team.
No matter the résumé of the individual, toxicity is not tolerated by the Patriots, and Moss will find that out quickly, if he doesn't already know it. Team sources said Sunday that Moss is already on notice and on an even shorter leash.
Step out of line one day, you're out of the lineup the next, and are soon sent packing.
If Moss doesn't believe it, well, he'd be wise not to seek empirical, firsthand evidence that Belichick indeed means business with his no-monkey-business decree.
Randy Moss
Wide ReceiverOakland RaidersProfile
2006 SEASON STATISTICS
Rec
Yds
TD
Avg
Long
YAC
42
553
3
13.2
51
127
When he was fired by Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell after the 1995 season, after compiling a 37-45 record, Belichick did a lot of soul-searching about what had gone wrong in his first head coaching gig. One of the conclusions he reached after the lengthy self-examination was that if he ever got a second chance to be a head coach, he would treat everyone the same.
The same rules for everyone. No favorites. No exceptions.
The philosophy has worked pretty well, most observers would agree, during Belichick's tenure as a head coach. He inherited a franchise that was a halfway house for malcontents and incorrigibles and transformed it into a team on which everyone is just naturally expected to go all the way, and on every play. Belichick has claimed three Super Bowl titles and, at some point, will earn himself a niche in the Hall of Fame.
For the wayward Moss to get off the detour road he has been traversing the past several years, and get back on course for Canton, a Super Bowl ring would serve as a handy compass. That reality, apparently, has sunk in with Moss, who believes his legacy ultimately will be measured by rings, not receptions. That is part of the reason he made concessions to facilitate the Sunday trade.
And big concessions they were. Scheduled to earn $21 million in base salaries over the next two years, $9.75 million in 2007 and $11.25 million in 2008, Moss signed a new, one-year contract with the Pats that might pay him only in the $3 million-$4 million range. With incentives, it could be worth $5 million. But even if he reaches all the incentives, and collects the full $5 million in 2007, Moss will have sacrificed $16 million in base salaries due him.
But financial givebacks alone by Moss won't satisfy Belichick and the team leaders from whom he elicited support before consummating the trade. In the New England locker room, no one is going to care much how much money Moss is making. More important to the Pats is how much effort is he making and, thus, how many plays he is executing. It is those elements on which Moss will be judged by his new teammates.
And if there is one team where the latest attempt to transform Moss into a selfless player could work, and where he will be compelled to work by the examples set around him, it is the Patriots. Belichick is the equivalent of a human hazmat suit. And the New England locker room, the environment nurtured there, is like a sterile laboratory.
There have been some players in the past who arrived in New England deluded into thinking they could buck the system. But the Patriots have a way of quickly diluting such notions. It's notable that one of the properties of nitroglycerine is that it's colorless. The Pats have been successful, in part, because they exist in a world where there are no ambiguous hues and the only colors are black and white.
For Moss, as for everyone else in the Pats' employ, there is no gray fringe. And so Moss would do well to implant that philosophy into the gray matter between his ears, at least as it applies to when he is between the lines.
There was some question Sunday as to why Belichick would even want to take on as notable a character risk as Moss might be. But it's the same reason and the same agenda with which Belichick always operates. He wants to win, plain and simple. Moss' very obvious flaws aside, Belichick believes the volatile player can enhance an offense already upgraded by the offseason transfusion that took place with the wide receiver corps.
With the brilliant Belichick, whose public life is defined by his football success, there are no hidden agendas. Belichick has long been enamored of Moss' competitiveness, of his desire to get the ball as often as possible, but especially at crunch time. For the Pats, every play is viewed as crunch time, and New England was willing to gamble that that will bring out the best in Moss and help him resuscitate a career that has slumped the past few seasons.
Belichick has never been reluctant or shy about taking on players, such as safety Rodney Harrison or now-departed tailback Corey Dillon, who were perceived by others as having a few warts. There have been occasions, such as the ill-advised trade for former New Orleans first-round defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan, when such risks blew up in his face. But for the most part, Belichick has won such gambles, and he clearly thinks he'll win this one.
Inherent in every coach is the belief that there is something good in everyone and that, no matter what has transpired previously with a player, he or she can be the person to unearth that redeeming quality. A lot of coaches have lost their jobs because they were misguided in that belief. Belichick has succeeded because, with few exceptions, he has found a way to emphasize a team concept to even the most self-centered individuals.
More than a chemist, Belichick is an alchemist, it seems. Transforming as poisonous a personality as Moss into gold might be, perhaps, his most daunting challenge. But it is a challenge Belichick and the New England organization agree is worth undertaking.
If they're right, it will make the Patriots an even more formidable team in 2007, and maybe Super Bowl champions for the fourth time.

the disapeering convergence of politics and athletics

The Disappearing Convergence of Politics and Athletics

The era of the political athlete is dying. Past athletes like Jackie Robinson who broke the color barrier exactly 60 years ago on 4-15-07, and others involved in the transition from segregation to desegregation in American sports, were much more politically motivated than modern-era athletes. Increased commercialization in the sporting empire has resulted from advancements in technology and public interest. Increased interest brought about significantly higher amounts of money being pumped into the industry every year. Television exposure was the driving force of this transition and led to increased corporate involvement and inflating salaries. Somewhere along the line from 1947 to 2007, the American athlete lost his political interest and objectives, with his additional privileges and money.
Jackie Robinson’s persona encompassed so much more than just an ordinary star athlete. “In addition to his accomplishments on the field, Jackie Robinson was also a forerunner of the Civil Rights Movement. He was a key figure in the establishment and growth of the Freedom Bank, an African-American owned and controlled entity, in the 1960s. He also wrote a syndicated newspaper column for a number of years, in which he was an outspoken supporter of Martin Luther King Jr (wikipedia.com). Robinson was an involved political activist, businessman, writer and broadcaster, and human rights activist along with being an athlete. Robinson used his writing to portray his non-violent beliefs, which even reprimanded violence. He was not afraid to take a stand against public figures such as Malcolm X and Roy Wilkings, who was the leader of the NAACP in the late 1950s. He did support and work with was Martin Luther King Jr. though. Robinson teamed up with King and worked together on several projects. According to McCoy, Robinson also used participation in youth guidance and counseling programs to have an active sense social responsibility (6). He did this through various church and community organizations. Robinson was a man that expected progress though constant change. On the 60th anniversary of Jackie’s first game, his widow Rachel Robinson was asked how Jackie would feel about today’s culture and athletes, and she responded: “he would be frustrated and impatient because the numbers of African American players and in off the field positions have not grown in proportion to the times”. Jackie Robinson is considered one of the most influential members of the 20th century and contributed so much to our culture from 1947 until his death in 1972.
After Robinson’s playing days were over and other minority players were included in professional leagues, more and more political athletes emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. Political athletes became names like Jim Brown, Muhammad Ali, and Roberto Clemente. All of these men were educated and well-articulated activists of societal change. Brown and Clemente both lead community assistance programs for the African American and Latino communities, respectively. Ali took many political stances throughout the years, but is probably most famous for his refusal to go to the Viet Nam war after being drafted. Regardless of the nature of the political work that each individual pursued, positive contributions were continually being made by these legends. All men understood that change through service is positive, and good will improves the lives of others. Former athletes were still being racially persecuted and did not take advantage of enjoying equality and nice lifestyles. These men knew that positive change had given them a chance for success, and more would be needed in the future. The athletes of the 1950s and 1960s had an attitude that hard work breads success. And most athletes in this time period did engage political activities for societal benefit.
Modern-day leagues often use advertisements to promote themselves through programs like “NBA cares”, which is a community outreach venture. The NFL uses similar advertisements, showing their players engaging in community service. None of these league programs have any significant societal impacts though. All were created primarily for public relations purposes. So league contribution efforts are doing little to guide current athletes.
Little guidance, low political interest levels, and low education levels, provide modern athletes with low achievement in politics. Athletes’ seems to rather live a lifestyle modeled around partying and wild behavior. Examples of athletes exhibiting this type of reckless lifestyle could be characterized by Stephen Jackson of the NBA, or Pacman Jones of the NFL. This lifestyle re-invests nothing into communities that formed the majority of professional athletes. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that current athletes are not using their power efficiently or effectively. There are exceptions, but athletes still need to make major improvements in using their power for good. Sports were one of the fundamental things that helped integrate American culture and politics, and needs to continue to be used as a vehicle for improvement in the future. The ironic thing about low political activism among athletes is that the majority of modern athletes came from lower income families, precisely the demographic that needs their assistance. According to wikipedia.com, the NBA is over 80% black. Pre-existing economic structures for minorities in the United States prove equality has not been fully achieved. Don Imus’ recent race-stigmatizing comments regarding the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team teaches us that racism and oppression still exist. Athletes simply do not realize or care about logically helping the poor at levels that they should. Minority influence in lower class structures combined disinterest of current athletes; provide little optimism for improvement for the future. Current athletes need to learn how to utilize political avenues to help societal progress like past athletes used. There has been a definite decline in public effort and community contribution from iconic type players like Jackie Robinson of the past, compared to modern-era pro athlete. The 1950s and 1960s African-American and Latino athletes were characterized as hard-working, political juggernauts. Athletes like Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Roberto Clemente are icons who actively engaged themselves in community support and political aide. All of these men supported and believed in educational system as the mechanism that breeds success, and that lack of education is the fundamental reason for economic struggles and lower class duplication.
Modern athletes have such a lesser political impact per capita than past athletes due to a variety of factors including lack of education and interest. Athletes have gone from involved, to utterly disengaged politically. So with modern athletes contributing less, smaller strides are being taken in racial equality. I do not think that Jackie Robinson would be happy to hear that the first African American NFL coach that coached in a Super Bowl was in 2007, or to hear of the miniscule amount of Black head-college football coaches. Or about the slowing momentum of the politically involved athlete. Players need to reconsider their priorities and leagues need to sponsor more programs that achieve positive public benefits. The first thing that needs to occur though is the identification of the fact that a shift in the athletes political agenda has happened through history for no logical reason.

Cardinal's pitched killed in car crash

Late Saturday night, relief pitcher Josh Hancock crashed his SUV into a tow truck at 12:35am. Hancock has been a relief pitcher for the Cars for the past two years, and contributed to the team's World Series title last year.

When news arrived to the city, fans went to Busch Stadium to drop off cards and flowers for their pitcher. Unfortunately this was not the first death for the Cardinal family as Deryl Kile died five years prior.

Sunday's game in St. Louis vs. the Chicago Cubs has been postponed so the Cardinal franchise could pay their respects to the Hancock family. General Manager, Tony La Russa made the dreadful call to Hancock's parents who reside in Tupelo, Miss.

This will be the second death in the Cardinal family, as in 2002 Deryl Kile was killed by a coronary artery blockage. The team will set up a memorial for both teammates in their bullpen as well as wear Hancock's number 32 on their sleeves for the rest of the season.

Hancock was said to be traveling just over the speed limit where then accident occurred. Alcohol was not a factor in the accident, investigators believe he simply did not see the tow truck on the side of the road and didn't swerve fast enough to miss it. The driver of the tow truck was in the car, but walked away from the accident. Hancock was alone in his car.

Hancock was no star. But he was a Cardinal, and more importantly, he appreciated being a Cardinal. A night earlier, in a blowout loss to the Chicago Cubs, Hancock pitched three innings of one-run relief. "We didn't get embarrassed yesterday," said manager Tony La Russa on Sunday, "and that was because of Josh."

"All of baseball today mourns the tragic and untimely death of St. Louis pitcher Josh Hancock," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. "He was a fine young pitcher who played an important role on last year's World Series championship team." Numerous ballparks around the country recognized Hancock's fatality at their respected stadiums with moments of silence.

Surprising First Day for the Colts

After last season's defensive struggles up until the playoffs combined with the exodus of key defensive players early in the off-season, it was easy for many to assume the Indianapolis Colts would use their first few draft picks for help on that side of the ball. However, if you endured the ridiculously long first few rounds of the draft, you would have been surprised to see that the first two picks the Colts made were not on defense, but instead boosted the high-powered offense.

Rather than trying to find the next Cato June, Jason David, or Nick Harper, the Colts decided to draft Anthony Gonzalez, a wide receiver from Ohio State, with the 32nd pick in the first round. Gonzalez will be a slot receiver that should fill the hole left by the departure of Brandon Stokley.

"We really think Anthony’s going to be a great fit for us," said Colts head coach Tony Dungy." He plays a position we needed with Brandon leaving. He’s a guy who has been a proficient inside receiver. He catches the ball well and he has played great football for Ohio State."

That was not the only surprising acquisition the Colts made throughout the first day of the draft. They traded a 2008 first round pick and a 2007 fourth round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the tenth pick in the second round. With this pick, they selected Tony Ugoh, an offensive tackle from Arkansas. Experts feel that Ugoh will be groomed to replace long-time left tackle Tarik Glenn, as his career winds down.

In the third round, the Colts finally added some depth to the defense by selecting cornerback Daymeion Hughes of California and defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock of Ohio State.

As the first round of this draft winded down, and the Colts' pick was near, I expected them to take a linebacker such as Paul Posluszny of Penn State or David Harris of Michigan. But something told me that the Colts could try to fill that Stokley role in the offense with their first pick. After thinking it through I feel like it was a smart move. The Colts feel like they have enough young talent that can fill some of the holes left on defense, as well as grabbing some quality depth in the later rounds.

After all, I'm not about to question Colts GM Bill Polian, considering he made franchise saving decisions drafting Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James over the potent combination of Ryan Leaf and Ricky Williams. Not to mention his quality picks of Bob Sanders, Dallas Clark, and Reggie Wayne in recent history.

Notre Dame's Quinn falls all the way to 22nd pick

The Cleveland Browns strongly considered taking Brady Quinn with the third overall pick. Instead, they selected Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas and set off Quinn's free fall.

It was believed by most that if Quinn did not go to the Browns, he would be drafted by the Vikings at number seven or the Dolphins at nine. Minnesota instead went with Adrian Peterson. But the real shocker was Miami's selection of return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. When they passed on Quinn, you could see his heart sink.

Quinn was repeatedly passed over by teams who were not in need of a quarterback and at one point Commissioner Goodell invited him to a private suite away from television cameras. Finally, the Browns traded up to the 22nd pick and nabbed the man they very nearly took at number three.

"I felt like the weight of the world was lifted of my shoulders," Quinn said.

Quinn somehow managed to remain calm and collected throughout his four-hour ordeal.

"I got great advice beforehand and that was just to be patient. I said before that I was going to be open-minded, and that's the tough thing. I was open-minded, and I had a point in my head where I didn't think I was going to fall any further, and it obviously exceeded that. Obviously, I hated the wait and being there for a little longer than I expected."

Quinn was ecstatic to be able to play for the team he grew up rooting for.

"I guess just the opportunity to have Cleveland come back around and giving me a chance to play there is just something that I've always dreamed of doing."

Retirement for Grant Hill???

Grant Hill, a 7-time all-star shooting guard for Orlando Magic, has been suffering an injured ankle for quite some time now. So what does he plan on doing in terms of playing next season?

Well, for starters, Hill, 34, signed a seven year contract with Magic in 2000 for nearly $93 million. He is now debating whether or not to retire due to his injury.

"I'm just trying to enjoy the moment, trying to stay in the present. I'm having fun," Hill said.

Hill played a meager 200 games dating back to when he initially signed his contract with the team, according to ESPN.com. He has had five surgeries on his left ankle and surgery to fix a hernia last season. In the 2003-2004 basketball season, he sat out the whole time.

"We'll see how I feel in June and July. The desire, of course, is to always play. But you don't want to live on anti-inflammatories and so forth. We'll just see, at least in my case, how I feel," Hill stated.

SI.com confirmed that Hill played the following season in 67 games but due to an injured shin, he had to sit out for the last seven games. With that said, this is the first time Hill has played through the closing games of any season with Magic.

"Right now, I feel pretty good and I'm excited to have played in my last game of the season," Hill said. "As dejected as I am and we are as a team, to be able to walk off the court is a good thing."

The Associated Press reported that Hill scored 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting in Orlando's 97-93 season-ending game. This proved to be an upset to Orlando. Hill basically just wants to go with the flow and see if he is physically fit enough for the next season citing that 83 games is a long season.

"Hopefully, I'm in the plans here. But right now, it's just about whether or not I want to play. Once I decide that, then hopefully Otis Smith (general manager) and them will have a spot for me," Hill expressed.

Hill averaged 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 65 games in the 2006-2007 season. When questioned on his whereabouts next season, he inferred that he would either play for Orlando Magic or not play at all.

Raiders still undecided on what to do with top pick

With the NFL Draft quickly approaching, it seems that the Oakland Raiders still have not decided who to take with the first overall pick.

The two candidates to go number one are Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson and LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell. Although the Raiders have a glaring hole at quarterback, Raiders owner Al Davis is reportedly in love with Johnson.

And what's not to love? Johnson is 6-5, 239 pounds, runs the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds, and possesses a 45-inch vertical leap. He is the consensus best player in the draft and has been tabbed a "can't-miss" prospect.

If the Raiders do not select Johnson, several teams have reportedly expressed interest in trading up to the number two spot to draft him. Those teams include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and Atlanta Falcons.

In order to take Johnson, the Raiders would have to upgrade their quarterback position before the draft. However, Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. believes it is too late to do that.

"It seems the window of opportunity has passed for Oakland to acquire a veteran starting quarterback in order to justify taking Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson. If the team does add a second-tier veteran between now and the draft, it will do so as insurance for Russell."

And it's not like Russell is a consolation prize. He's 6-6, 265 pounds and has a canon for an arm, reportedly able to throw it 80 yards in the air. McShay believes Russell is the logical choice for the Raiders.

"Russell makes the most sense for a team loaded with talented wide receivers (Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry) but nobody to get the ball to them."

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. agrees with McShay that Oakland should draft Russell. He believes they forced their hand by passing on a quarterback in last year's draft.

"The Raiders have to pick Russell; they really can't go any other way. Passing on Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler last year, when they really needed a quarterback, has really affected them in this draft."

Who do you think the Raiders should take: Johnson or Russell?

Booing Bonds

Barry Bonds is slowly catching up to Hank Aarons all-time home run record, now hitting 740 on his quest for 755. This means that he is only 15 more swings away from taking over the crown fo

r the most sacred record in sports, all-time home runs.

Unfortunately for Barry, at the pace he is going he is scheduled to break the record some time in the middle of June. This would mean he would be in the middle of a road trip and this could lead to a terrible situation. If bonds would hit the record breaker on the road, this would lead to a 20 minute celebration of what should be an honorable great time in baseball, but would ultimately be 20 minutes of the opposing fans booing, throwing things and heckling at Bonds while he rounds the bases.

When Aaron did it back in the day, Booy Cune the commissioner at that time told Hank that he could not sit out to break the record at home, but it worked out that he broke it in Atlanta anyway. This is an accomplishment that will be remembered forever in the history of baseball, and it would be a shame if it was overshadowed by the disgruntled fans.

"This guy is going to go down as one of the greatest players of all time," Bochy
said. "I'm still amazed, even though I get to see it every day."

This would very damaging to baseball, since this should be a time of celebration in remembering Aaron and celebrating the greatest record in sports finally being broken. Barry Bonds, The Giants, and MLB can not afford this to happen and they need to make sure that the record breaking swing is done at home in San Francisco. This might ultimately lead to Bonds sitting out a few games, but it needs to happen.

For Some Reason I'm Not Surprised...

The Chicago Cubs announced this week that their former ace pitcher, Mark Prior, will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on the right shoulder that has plagued his career. After spending at least some time on the disabled list every year since he was called up to the majors by the Cubs in May of 2002, Prior and the Cubs organization decided it's time that something gets done. Why it took them five years to decide this needed to happen is beyond me.

"Hopefully, Dr. Andrews can go in there and find something that isn't major and hopefully help Mark's career get back on track," Hendry said.

Being a longtime and loyal Cubs fan, even through the absolutely terrible times of the mid and late 90s, and also including last year and this season so far, its not hard for me to admit that the organization as a whole are idiots. I have loved the moves GM Jim Hendry has made, bringing in Piniella to manage, Soriano, DeRosa, Izturiz, all great moves that have improved the team.

What I have never understood is their inability to keep pitchers healthy. Most Notably, of course, is the troubled careers of former dominant pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood. If I were in the Cubs' organization, I would find a little more time in my busy schedule to get my two best pitchers back to 100% health as fast and efficiently as I could. I struggle to find the logic in letting them try to work it out or rest it for five years before something gets done about it.

Considering everything I've ever read or hear about, I find it very troublesome that you wouldn't do everything you could right away to fix these ailing hurlers. It angers me when I hear that in their prime, Prior and Wood were said to the have absolute worst mechanics in baseball, but because they were doing so well Cubs officials decided not to fix their minor technical errors in order to perhaps save another mediocre-at-best Cubs season.

Now, four or five years down the road, these dominant pitchers whose mechanics didn't need to be altered because they were so good, have hardly pitched in 15 games combined in 3 years. Maybe mechanics did play a role in it...I just hope someone's learned a lesson before Carlos Zambrano's arm falls off.

Bulls 2-0

After last year's playoff loss (4-2) to the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls are in a great position looking ahead to game 3 with a 2 game lead over the Heat.

On Sunday Chicago beat Miami 96-91. Luol Deng lead all scorers with 33 points and 8 rebounds in the victory and teammate Ben Gordon added 24 points and 11 assists. Chicago Native Dwayne Wade lead the heat in scoring with 21 points. Shaquille O'Neil was just behind with 19.

Tuesday the teams met once again in the United Center in Chicago and the Bulls once again did not upset the home crowd. The Bulls lead the entire game and eventually took game two, blowing out the Heat 107-89. Deng again showed up contributing 26 points in game 2. Deng score 14 of 26 in the 4th quarter. Ben Gordon lead all scorers in Tuesday's game with 27 points.

"One thing is that they went with a small line-up." Deng remarked about the fourth quarter, "I felt like when they did that, the game kind of sped up. We did a good job pushing the ball. When we faced small line-ups this year, we've done an effective job pushing the ball."

On Friday The Bulls travel to Miami to take on the Heat in Game 3. They will be put up to a tough test on the road and it is crucial that they come out with at least 1 win. This will be the 7th meeting between the two teams this season. (Chi leads 5-1) It is guaranteed that Shaq will be ready to play Friday, just as it is guaranteed he will blame someone else for the previous losses.

Bubble Trouble

Torii Hunter has been known around Major League Baseball as a friendly stand-up player since he joined the league nearly ten years ago. However a recent joke involving several bottles of expensive champagne being delivered to an opposing team's lockeroom for defeating an inner conference rival could end up costing Mr. Hunter a few games for his team.

In a recent post on "The cheater's Guide to Baseball Blog" it was reported that Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter violated rule 21-b of MLB rules by giving the Kansas City Royals organization four expensive bottles of champagne for sweeping the Detriot Tigers last September, enabling the Twins to come from behind to win the AL Central.

The rule sates that "Any player or person connected with a club who shall offer or give any gift or reward to a player or person connected with another club for services rendered in defeating or attempting to defeat a certain club shall be declared ineligible for not less than three years."

Although Hunter said his gesture was an "Honest mistake" many fans throughout the league are saying his actions violated the integrity of the game and that he should be punished for his actions.

Do you think Mr. Hunter's gesture tampered between teams and that he should be punished for his actions? Or should the league let this one action slide because it looked as if the gift was in good fun.

Sam Mitchell honored NBA coach of the year

On Tuesday, Sam Mitchell was named the NBA coach of the year. Sam was a former player in the NBA and has been coaching the Toronto Raptors for three years. His first season coaching, the Raptors were 33-49 and his second season the Raptors were 27-55. This season the Raptors finished with a franchise tying best record of 47-35 and first in the Atlantic Division.

Sam won the coach of the year award with a total of 394 points in balloting by basketball writers and broadcasters. His coaching was very impressive, since the Raptors added nine new faces before this season. The ability to make a team successful with new players takes a lot of talent and Sam really portrayed his coaching skill of developing team chemistry.

Sam received this award with much class and feels the award should be given to the whole franchise, as he said "I feel like the whole organization should be behind me, the players, the front office people, the equipment managers." Sam Mitchell is well deserving of this award and hopefully can lead the Toronto Raptors to the NBA finals.

What do you think?

EVEN IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT TENNIS

Even if you are not interested in tennis, you might be interested in money. This year's Wimbledon tournament in England is offering the highest amount of prize money to date for it's singles champions. Although the tournament has always offered their winners lucrative prizes for being number one, this year it is higher than ever. Both the men's and women's singles champion will receive $1.4 million dollars for winning.

"No tennis tournament has ever offered higher prize money than Wimbledon in 2007," Tim Phillips, chairman of the All England Club said.

The total in prize purse for the 2006 England Wimbledon was 8.7 percent lower than this years. The women's first place prize purse rose 12 percent since last year while the men's first place prize purse rose only 6.9 percent. The difference in percentage increases was due to a decision made in February, which stated that the men's and women's champions would receive equal amounts in prize money. Until that decision the men's champion received more money than the women's each year.

"We want to reward the players appropriately for the talent, entertainment and drama they bring to the grass courts of Wimbledon."

Part of their decision was based on the other 3 major Grand Slams in tennis. Until February Wimbledon was the only tournament of that status that did not offer equal prize checks to their male and female winners.

Organizers of the tournament also announced that they will now be using the HawkEye instant replay system on Centre Court as well as Court One. HawkEye is a high speed multi-camera system that offers superior coverage to high paced activities such as serves and intense volleys. The HawkEye was first used in a Grand Slam in 2005 at the U.S. Open. It has also been used for several years in the Australian Open.

"We want this to be the premier tennis tournament in the world, that's why we are doing so much work on Centre Court," Phillips told reporters.

Both of these changes have been made by the organizers of Wimbledon, England in an effort to improve the game. They wanted to reward the athletes equally for their participation in the tournament, so they made the prize purses equal for males and females. They also wanted to reward the fans for their commitment to the sport, so they invested in the HawkEye system for better coverage of the event for viewers at home. In my opinion these changes can only help the tournament. I think it is about time the prize amounts were equal for the men's and women's events. There is no reason for men to receive more prize money for the same task in the year 2007. It will also be exciting to see how the new HawkEye system depicts the game on television. I think it will be exciting to see the high speed multi-camera system in action.

Hey!! We take drugs too!!!

New York Islanders defenseman Sean Hill recently tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs making him the first player affected by the NHL's new drug policy. The NHL suspended Hill for 20 games, but the suspension wasn't immediate.

Before announcing the suspension, Hill was allowed to appeal the finding. Though nothing was overturned, the appeal postponed the start of his punishment, allowing him to play in the Isles qualifier for the Stanley Cup playoffs on the final day of the season. Hill played a key role in the defeat of the Maple Leafs, and for the first four games of his team's playoff series against Buffalo. The Leafs' loss eliminated from further post-season play.

This brings up the question: should that appeal have been heard before the playoffs began?

Bill Daly, League Deputy Commissioner, answered by saying,

"It's a concern. It's a balancing act. I would've been concerned if we had acted without Sean having had his right to be heard. That would have been unfair to the player to be out of competition if, in fact, he was able to sustain his appeal."

Hill's suspension will continue next year, forcing him to sit out 19 more games. That is, if a team picks him up. Hill becomes a free agent after this season and is forced to await his fate from the sideline.
This may be the first bust since the NHL's new policy was enacted, but no one is assuming steroid use isn't wide-spread in the NHL. Andrei Nazarov was reported claiming that 99 percent of NHL athletes were on steroids. Welcome to the drug race, hockey.

A-Rod comes through in clutch...again

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Yankees trailing 5-6, Alex Rodriguez stepped to the plate. Just one year ago, this would have spelled certain doom for New York.

But it isn't one year ago, although apparently the Indians thought it was. After a wild pitch from Joe Borowski moved the runners to second and third, leaving first base open, the Indians decided not to walk A-Rod. He made them pay on the very next pitch, smashing a three-run walk-off homer to dead center.

Rodriguez seems to be more relaxed this year, which helps explain his two walk-off home runs in just fourteen games. His first walk-off was a grand slam with two outs against the Orioles on April 7.

"It's just fun," he said. "It's going out and not trying to do too much, and help the team win."

It was Rodriguez's tenth homer of the season, putting him just four behind Albert Pujols' record of fourteen home runs in the month of April.

"It's what Alex is capable of," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He's got such incredible ability and now he's letting it speak for itself."

Even Yankees captain Derek Jeter is impressed with A-Rod's hot start to the season.

"You enjoy it. You appreciate it. I can't relate to it," Jeter said. "You'll never see me do it. It's fun to watch. Like I said, it hasn't been done. No one's ever done it so everyone should enjoy it because I don't know if you'll see it happen again."

But the question remains: what happens if Rodriguez doesn't keep this pace up (he won't or else he would finish with 116 home runs and 301 RBIs) or strikes out to end a game? Will New York still love him or go back to booing the two-time MVP?

SPORTIN

So Allen Iverson...finally.....back in the playoffs and winning. Kobe...who said he was the next jordan? yah Jordan carried his team through the playoffs...Kobe choked....Ok Dallas didnt win tnight....but please...you dont win 60 games and lose in the first round. Dallas....will go to the NBA FINALS....in the mean time....Arods finally hot...and the yanks are not...Sox...fans there are 100 games left....relax yanks fans....its not october yet!!!

Can You Feel the Heat?

Pat Riley's Miami Heat took a blow last night as they lost to the Orlando Magic 94-68. when looking at the final scores you are shocked by the large gap, however you must take all in to consideration. Prior to the game Coach Pat Riley made the decision to rest 5 of its star players for its season finale; Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O'neal, Eddie Jones, Jason Williams and James Posey. Wait a second! isn't that practically their entire starting line up? Riley made this decision based on the news that the Miami Heat had been locked into the No. 4 seed and had nothing to lose by losing the game. Surprisingly, the heat did well for the first half of the game going into half time with only a two point defecit 39-37. Alonzo Mourning, Udonis Haslem, and Antoine Walker were also on the sidelines, resting for most of the game except for a few short appearances in the game. most of the game was played by Michael Doleac, Wayne Simien, Jason Kapono, Chris Quinn and Dorell Wright who could not keep up against the Orlando Magic. When interviewing head coach of the Magic, Brian Hill, he said ""They made up their minds they were going to win the game in the third period''(Associated Press). If I were the Magic I would have made up my mind when i found out that the starting line-up didnt include any of the usuals! the real story isn't the Heat losing to the Magic with half of their team resting out of the game, I think everyone knew that would happen. The true story is that the Miami Heat's secondary players have the ability to compete with the starting line-up of a good playoff team such as the Orlando Magic! This scene seems a little to familar to last years Heat while gearing up for the playoffs; "It's time to get on,'' Riley said. "It's been a real arduous week for me, just sort of waiting and looking at two different teams (in the first round) and trying to get things accomplished.''(Associated Press). After the game it was announced that the Miami Heat will face off against the Chicago Bulls for the opening series of the playoffs, with a fully rested starting line-up and a rapidly recovering Dwayne Wade things are beginning to look good for the Miami Heat. But, things can rapidly change if Wades shoulder gets injured again while trying to fight off the fierce defense that the Chicago Bulls has ready for the first round.

Virgina Tech Tragedy

With the tragedy at Virginia Tech on Monday it has touched us all even in the sports world. The Nationals all wore Virginia Tech hats last night. Some people may question how much or if any this could help comfort people. One of the victims, Brian Bluhm, was a Tigers fan and a frequent poster at MotownSports.com.
Furthermore, Nick Dallamora, one of the three guys behind The Dugout, is a student at Virginia Tech and a resident of the Ambler Johnston dorm where the initial shooting happened. Nick is ok, but is shaken and has decided The Dugout is taking a few days off. He has also been writing about his experiences at The Fanhouse. Till today Nick said he was cursing the “messed-up bastard” to everyone he talked to and in the few spare moments he had to himself under his breath. Nick said “I was pissed at how a demented psychopath could walk behind me on my way to class, bear left and kill 30 kids at no expense of his own. What kind of messed up world is it where you aren't safe in a small southern college town?”
Today more than 20,000 people attended the convocation where President Bush spoke. Though, the most inspiring speech was given by Nikki Giovanni a Virginia Tech Student.
She ended with:
“We are strong and brave and innocent and unafraid. We are better than we think, not quite what we want to be. We are alive to the imagination and the possibility we will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears, through all this sadness. We are the Hokies! We will prevail, we will prevail! We are Virginia Tech!”
According to Nick the crowd blew up. “I think we all realized just what being a Hokie meant at that point. It's not that we didn't know before, but yesterday it changed and it won't ever be the same again. Being a Hokie means being strong, supporting and helping those around you through adversity, and knowing the rest of us are here for you when things get too heavy.”
“We are the Hokies and we will prevail.”
Dedicated to Virginia Tech and all those who have been affected.

Lets just face it....

Ok, great Kobes had a few great games this season. Ok who is in the league that is really playing defense anymore? Jordans day....you got benched if you did not play both ends of the court. Jordan was still scoring what Kobe does and more with a hand in his face every shot. Just face it....Kobe will never be Jordan.
Cardinals....will not repeat
Tigers will make the playoffs....and suprisingly as much as id like to not say this....the reds will make the wild card
Penguins are going to the stanley cup
and this week is little 5..........so in the meantime ...being honest....no one cares what happens in sports this week....because this biggest sporting event of all........is hosted in our own college town....be safe have fun and dont end up in the hospital....enjoy lil 5 everyone....

Don't Want to Think

Our generation loves action. Our parents may have loved the ‘thinking man’s games’ but we want more action. Two of the most popular sports for your parents were boxing and baseball. Both are considered thinking men’s games but both considered too slow by many in the new generation. We are more into the UFC and football.

The UFC is a bloody alternative to boxing. It encompasses fighters with mixed martial arts backgrounds in fights that almost look like street fights. There are rules in the UFC but they do not stop the two fighters from beating each other senseless with fists, kicks, slams, and submission moves. The sport aims their product at 18-35 year olds and they have a lot of young men who love to watch. Boxer Floyd Mayweather recently called the UFC a fad.

I would have to disagree 100% with Floyd’s assessment. The biggest money grossing boxing fight in 2006 was the fight between De la Hoya and Mayorga. It drew 925,000 pay-per-view buys in the United States at $49.95 per buy, which generated gross PPV revenue of $46.20 million. The UFC has publicly and repeatedly predicted that UFC 66 will draw 1.2 million PPV buys, and with a price of $39.95, the gross PPV revenue would be $47.94 million. This would mean that the UFC is making more money than boxing. Now that UFC just bought its biggest rival (Pride) they can now have super fights between the two organizations that will draw even more attention.

The claim that the UFC is a fad is just absurd. I guarantee more people watch UFC’s Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV than people watch Friday Night Fights on ESPN. This combined with the PPV numbers listed above show that more people are watching the UFC. Not to mention that I used the current most popular fighter (De La Hoya) to compare the 2 sports. There is little star power is the sport of boxing today outside of a few names, and they only fight once a year. A UFC fighter fights several times per year.

Football is now America’s #1 sport. The 2007 AFC Championship game was watched by more than twice as many people as the 2006 World Series. I am not even comparing the World Series to the Superbowl, which would yield even a greater disparity.

More people go to college these days more than ever, but that doesn’t mean we always want to think. Our generation grew up on Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Steven Segal. This should show you that we don’t care to think at all. We just want action.

The Stage is ready

The azaleas, the pine trees, the magnolia trees, the firm greens, and the 4 inch rough is the stage for the 2007 Masters. The eyes of the world are set on the number one player of the world, Tiger Woods. He is an extraordinary player with a heart bigger than any course, but the new and young rising stars will make a run for the major.
I think that a young player is going to win because it is a long course that requires accuracy and distance of the tee, it is a 4 day tournament (plus practice rounds), it is a very hilly course that at the end it could require extra gas that younger players have. The winner will require a complete game, there is no room for good luck, the course is set up difficult and it will only get harder because the greens will be quicker, faster, and the pin placements are going to be tougher. Rising stars that could be on contention on Sunday are Camilo Villegas, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, and Ian Poulter.

The history of the Masters goes back to 1934, since then, the course has been changed to cope with the more powerful and longer players on the Tour. The quickness of the greens will be a hard task for the players.

Is Starkey like Knight

Interim Head Coach of the LSU Women's Basketball program, Bob Starkey, might be in line to cause more trouble at LSU, or so one would think. With his star forward/center Sylvia Fowles in foul trouble and the Tigers about to be shown the door of the WNCAA Tournament, Starkey pulled a Knight when he lightly slapped Fowles on the chin to give her "confidence."

I truly don't see how this is any different than the "chin up" move Bobby Knight was accused of earlier in the season. Now with this stated opinion, I also wonder as to why this striking received very little coverage. Lets be honest, there was none and I couldnt find a single article about it.

So again, the theme of gender marking arrupts on a program that really didnt need anymore attention. I am sure that Pokey is happy to be out the limelight for the moment. What do you think?

Donovan a Wildcat?

One of the main storylines of this past Final-Four weekend was talk about Billy Donovan becoming Kentucky’s new head coach. Is this really going to happen? No, of course not the media is just lacking stories at this time of year. So I am here to silence the talk of Pat Forde’s article on Donovan going to Kentucky and show you why this will not happen. First, changing jobs from one team to another in the same conference has rarely been done. Why would Donovan want to leave his great surroundings at Florida to go to Kentucky and become a so called “traitor” in the conference?
In 1996 Donovan took over a struggling Florida program that nobody thought could win consistently. He has taken Florida from a losing team to the national finals in 2000, Florida’s first NCAA Championship last year and, maybe another one this year if they can beat Ohio State tonight all with a huge target on their back this year. Donovan has put Florida basketball on map with a school that is typically known for football excellence. When the media asked Donovan about the idea of going to Kentucky he said, "I love the University of Florida," Donovan said. "I love my experiences. I love everything about it. I love coaching my team. I love my administration. It's been great. I mean, I'm very, very happy here right now." With that it seems very unlikely Donovan will go to Kentucky. Though after Kentucky’s exit from the tournament Tubby Smith said that he expected to be back next year and we all know what happened after that.
Donovan has two years left on a deal that pays him $1.7 million annually at Florida. At seasons end ESPN.com reported that Kentucky is prepared to offer Donovan at least $2.8 million a season. Even with this and Kentucky’s new facilities Donovan will not go to Kentucky. Why? Florida is prepared to make an offer similar to Kentucky and there has even been talk of naming the court after him. If that does not do it (which I think will) Donovan will go to the pros as will most of Florida’s stating line-up will next year, for the money (if that is what is most important to him). Even with football overshadowing Florida basketball Donovan said, "I love Florida. My family is very happy here. I hope I can stay here as long as they'd like to have me.” With that no matter the outcome of tonight’s game Donovan will most likely remain a Gator or be headed off to the league.

Greg Oden Is Not "The Man"

The stage is now set. Ohio State and Florida, the top two teams in the nation, will do battle Monday night for the NCAA Championship. And who really cares?

Well, I sure don't. But I realize that a lot of people still do, and for good reason. The biggest contingent of people that definitely should care are Ohio State fans - obviously - since the future of their program pretty much depends on how the Buckeyes fare tomorrow night. But the storyline for tomorrow night shouldn't be the Gators searching for a second consecutive national championship (the way they beat up on Ohio State last time around, it might not even be worth watching) or Greg Oden's decision to stay or go.

You wanna know the real storyline tomorrow night? Because here's some inside information, from of all people (sigh), Andy Katz. For once in my life, I read an Andy Katz article all the way through without vomiting. And for once, he shares the exact same opinion that I do - tomorrow night's game comes down to Mike Conley, Jr.

In his article, Katz says:

When will Conley get his due? Well, maybe when he's receiving the tournament's most outstanding player award Monday night. Forget that he's a freshman because you could legitimately make an argument that Conley was the most valuable point guard in the country this season.

And he's right, Conley HAS BEEN the most valuable point guard in the country this year. He's clearly been more valuable to the Buckeyes than Oden, who has spent far too much time sitting on the bench injured or in foul trouble or just breathing too heavily. Mike Conley, Jr. is the heart and soul of the Ohio State Buckeyes. And if they have any shot of winning tomorrow night, it will be because of him.

He came through in the clutch during the Big Ten Tournament and torched Memphis in the NCAA Tournament. So, what will Conley do next? And if the Buckeyes win, will it be because of Oden or Conley? Or maybe neither...

Even Spike Lee Would Laugh At This...Kobe Better Than M.J.?

The front page on espn.com reads "Like Mike, Only Better." You have to be kidding me! I understand if you make your comparisons of Michael Jordan to Wilt Chamberlin, Larry Bird to Irvin Magic Johnson, or even Clyde Drexler to Dominique Wilkins...but Kobe Bryant being better than Michael Jordan? Wait, is that a statue of Michael Jordan? Don't they go around making statues in honor of any mediocre player? Oh wait they don't! In the midst of all the hoopla and hype of Nash and The Dirk for MVP, Kobe has four high scoring games in a row, and suddenly he's being compared to the Royal Airness? That article says Kobe is just as good of a defender???? I remember, back in the day when Michael graced our presence for the World Champion Chicago Bulls. His battles against the Supersonics, Jazz, Cleveland Cavs, the list goes on throughout the playoffs all had one thing that's absent now a days. Something that has been lost in the translation many many years ago in the NBA . . . oh yeah I remember what it is. . . actual defense. In Kobe's high scoring games, from most recent to the first, here are the final game scores: 115/113, 111/105, 121/119, 109/102. I don't see any sort of defense in any of those games. EVERY SINGLE OPPONENT scored 100+. These weren't just any single opponent these were the Grizzlies and Hornets, nothing to brag about.
Being a long time Bulls fan I am outraged by this. I understand that Kobe is a good shooter and player, but after four good games in a row everyone is ready to kick someone out of the Greatest 50 NBA Players ever and slap Kobe in there. Just for another reminder of why Jordan is great, showing his supreme dunk skills. I could go on and on and bitch about this. If my opinion mattered, I'd take Lebron over Kobe ANY DAY. Lebron gets points, assists, steals, and blocks. When Kobe stops slapping people in the face after shooting, then he might be capable of making maybe an All Star team. Here's something for Kobe to dream about tonight:

Naismith Awared: 1984
Wooden Award: 1984
Adolph Rupp Award: 1984
ACC Player of the Year: 83-84
NBA Rookie of the Year: 84-85
NBA MVP: 87-88, 90-91, 91-92, 95-96, 97-98
NBA Finals MVP: 90-91, 91-92, 92-93, 95-96, 96-97, 97-98
NBA All Star MVP: 88, 96, 98
NBA Defensive Player: 87-88
Slam Dunk Champ: 87, 88

Maybe Kobe should have went to college?

Mascots ... Sad Situation

As many of you probably already know, the UNC mascot, rather Jason Ray, was killed due to injuries sustained from a car hitting him. The basis of this blog entry is that despite how sad it is for a human being to be taken too soon, with relevance to this class, the media attention it has received.

Articles have surfaced all over the internet and why shouldnt they as it is a big deal to the Chapel Hill community as Ray was a kid known by many of the students.

"My heart goes out to Jason's family," says Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams. "He was an engaging young man and a friend to a number of our players and managers. They tell me he was a wonderful person. Obviously our team is disappointed with the outcome of Sunday's game, but that pales greatly in comparison with the loss the Ray family is dealing with today. We ask everyone to remember Jason and his family in their prayers."

I thought that the actions taken by the media relations staff was well done given the state of events as addressed in this press release. They made the event important despite a huge loss last night and I thought this was done in good taste.

Ten Year Later, Brawl Still Remebered in Hockeytown

Unless you were a fan of the Red Wings in the early 90s, you can’t imagine the heartache that was associated with the fan base. We were so close. We were there. But we just couldn’t get that big win.

There were tough game-seven losses against St Louis, Toronto and San Jose. There was the 1995 season where the Wings won the presidents cup and breezed through the Stanley Cup Finals, only to be swept by New Jersey. But the worst was the 1996 Western Conference Finals.

We watched as our Wings won an NHL-record 62 games that season. We felt it, we though it was our time. But then we ran into Colorado and lost in six games. To add insult to injury in that clinching game Claude Lemieux put a dirty hit on Kris Draper, causing Draper to spend the summer sipping milkshakes while his jaw was wired shut. Already hated in Detroit, Lemieux quickly became public enemy No. 1.

Fast forward to March 26, 1997. The mention date alone still gives me the chills. The hated Avs were coming into Joe Louis Arena. All over the state of Michigan you could feel the rivalry. Eighteen minutes and twenty-two seconds into the game, all hell broke loose.

It started out with a fight between the Wings Igor Larionov and the Avs Peter Forsberg, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Next thing you know Drapers roommate, Darren McCarty is pounding away at Lemieux. And he wasn’t stopping. McCarty implemented Draper’s revenge and kept pounding away even as Lemieux turtled. Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy skated to center ice to help out Lemieux, but was intercepted by Brendan Shanahan. Then Red Wings goalie Mike Vernon met Roy at center ice and the two goalies started going at it. Just from that incident alone, seven players were penalized for a total of 34 minutes. And it didn’t stop with that. There were a total of nine fights throughout the game. By the end, both teams had racked up a total of 148 penalty minutes.

The end of the game came 39 seconds into over time when McCarty, who had sent Lemieux to the locker room in the first period, scored the game winning goal, giving Detroit a 6-5 win.

“I can't believe it was 10 years ago,” McCarty said in a Detroit Free Press article. “It'll never replace that winning-the-cup game and scoring that goal, but to take just a game in general, (the March 26, 1997, contest) was the greatest game I've ever played in, that I ever saw. Just because it had every ingredient you could ever want. That game had everything.”

That was the day Hockeytown was truly born. There was a new swagger in Wings fans. We no longer thought we’d win the Stanley Cup, we now knew we were going to win the cup.

And that June, for the first time in 42 years, Detroit was the home of the Stanley Cup Champions. All the heartache that came before was erased when the final horn of game four sounded in Joe Louis Arena, giving the Wings a sweep over Philadelphia.

For a sports fan living in Michigan, it would be very hard to top 1997. Not only did the cup call our state home, but that fall the Michigan Football team went undefeated to win the National Championship. Even our Lions made the NFL playoffs behind a 2000-yard rushing season by Barry Sanders.

But perhaps the greatest day of that year was on March 26. It was the day everything changed. It was the day we could be proud of our hockey team. It was the day we could call them our Red Wings.