Rajon for Chris?

With the new NBA agreement finally in place here comes all the fun that we have been waiting for.

Rumors.

Reports came out of Boston yesterday that the team would listen to offers for PG, Rajon Rondo.

The young true point guard has been a core piece for this Celtics team over the years but as the team continues to get older changes need to be made.

BUT, is Rondo the guy you move?

Today reports came out of a possible Rondo for Chris Paul deal which would be nice for Boston but what sort of help would that bring?

An aging KG and Ray Allen still are on the team yet Boston is looking to move a young PG for a ... young PG?

Just doesn't make sense.

Not sure how this benefits Boston.

Oh the rumors.

LINK

Will You Be My Valentine, Boston?

For the 45th time in the illustrious history of the Boston Red Sox, the ball club has a new manager. Amid much speculation, it has all but been confirmed via press conference that former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine will take the reigns in Bean Town.

Valentine, who managed on and off in Japan's NPB league since his departure from New York,  was offered the position earlier this week. Reports are that he will be in the Boston area to meet with the club and announce his acceptance of the position on Wednesday.

The club was in need of a skipper, since the departure of Terry Francona earlier this off-season.

The hopes are that Francona's somewhat disturbing 7-20 finish to the 2011 campaign can be forgotten shortly   early on in the Valentine era. It seems like a grand fit; a loud personality for a loud club. Only time can tell how long this love affair will last in New England.

Source: http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7295956/source-bobby-valentine-hired-boston-red-sox-manager

Syracuse Sports Information Director Says "Only Questions About the Game"

Story Link

As allegations pile up against former Syracuse assistant coach Bernie Fine, the fallout for those still involved in the program is just beginning.

At the press conference following Tuesday's game against Eastern Michigan, the Sports Information Director told the media that Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim would only be taking questions about the game.

Are you kidding?

I first heard about this on Twitter and almost laughed. Reporters were tweeting from the press conference in laughter at the guy, thinking he could control the presser by laying down such a blanket statement.

I would go as far as to say this: If a reporter's lede includes anything OTHER than the allegations against Bernie Fine, he should really reconsider the field he's in. That IS the story. There is no other way around it.

Ironically, there was supposedly only one question about the game the entire presser. Quite the opposite of what the SID wanted.

CP3 Is Following His Heart

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/7295932/new-orleans-hornets-guard-chris-paul-says-heart-new-orleans

Now that the NBA lockout is over and everything seems like it is finally getting back to normal, speculation has to being about things being not so normal, like Chris Paul taking his talents to Madison Square Garden to play for the New York Knicks. Paul shut down reporters questions saying that his heart is in New Orleans. That might be the case as of right now, but will that be the case in the future. As we have seen over the couple of years, if you show these players the money, loyalty goes directly out the window. I'm not saying that he is going to come to New York, but there are going to be a lot of teams with a lot of money to spend come years end when Paul becomes a free agent. This should be an interesting story to watch. Will this be Chris Paul's last year in New Orleans? This should be fun to watch.

Wild signing makes Minnesota headlines

Image: Yahoo.com

I don't know much about hockey, I'll admit that. The little I do know incorporates, the the puck in the goal, equals points.

But one thing I do know is that when the Minnesota Wild signed 51-year old Paul Deutsch to play as a back-up goalie while the main goal tender Niklas Backstrom was out and the back-up may not make it on time, that is nothing short of the word Awesome!

Every sports person would love to be part of a professional game, even if that means sit on the bench for hours. Deutsch didn't start, or even take the ice during the game- but at least he could say, with pride, I was once signed on a professional team.

As a person in the news, this brings sensation to its peak. Writing an article like this will touch so many fans of the game and just sports fans in general that it will promote itself.

Reading the rest of these articles about Deutsch, it seems like this happens more often in hockey than other sports-- I can definitely see why.

Except for that legendary joke where the St. Louis Brown owner Bill Veeck hired midget (small person) Eddie Gaedel for a pinch-hit stunt, or that time when The Yankees hired Billy Crystal for a 1-day contract in spring training as a birthday wish, I can't remember to many of these. Can anyone remember a similar incident out of hockey?

Deutsch is slightly different than those two incidents though. He actually plays in a league, knows the team fairly well, and has been hired before to practice- but still to actually get lucky as to be an official part of the team during a game is a once in a lifetime experience, i'm sure he won't forget.

--La Guerre

Sources:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Minnesota-Wild-sign-51-year-old-backup-don-821?urn=nhl-wp18217

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/7275103/minnesota-wild-sign-51-year-old-practice-goalie-emergency-backup

Verlander wins MVP, Yup he just did that

Detroit Tiger super-duper pitcher Justin Verlander won the 2011 MLB AL Cy Young award for an amazing year, where he left batters scared, and made opposing pitchers look like little-leaguers.

Then it was announced today that he also won the AL MVP, and he captured the AL pitching triple crown.

Granted, Verlander had an amazing year, that we know. He was filthy with a 24-5, 2.4 ERA, and 250 strikeouts (that's just nasty).

But, should pitchers get the Cy Young and the MVP? Is it fair to give them everything, plus all the tea in China. Yeah, I don't see why not, its not illegal-- there aren't yellow flags on the field.

Its one of the age-old arguments in baseball, and the MVP award is defined as the Most Valuable Player no matter position. Over time it came to pass that the pitching Cy Young award was as equal to MVP for the hurlers, because pitchers don't play as often as regular position players (at least in the modern age of baseball).

But that's not right. Here is an example. What if a DH had a great season. Like I mean a GREAT season. Batted .465 with 50 hrs, and 150 rbi, in... lets say about 500 at-bats or so. This is about equivalent to what Verlander did, and if this imaginary DH led the league with these stats they should definitely win the MVP, Sliver Slugger, and all the tea in China, Japan, and Britain while their at it...

To conclude the writers picked the Most Valuable Player, in my opinion, but what say you my classmates? Should Verlander have won the MVP, Cy Young and tons of tea?

-- La Guerre

Source:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BBA_AL_MVP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-11-21-14-03-30

Sportmanship Dilemma in the Texas A&M-STJ Game?

Story Link

St. John's did not shoot well from the free throw line against Texas A&M. Not to defend their lack of execution, but there was an interesting variable to consider.

As you can see in the video above, a little girl, who happened to be the daughter of Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy, was letting out a series of blood-curdling screams whenever St. John's stepped to the line.

If it were any other fan, it would probably be just another part of the game. Perhaps security may ask that person to stop. But the fact that this was Kennedy's daughter makes for an interesting dilemma when it comes to sportsmanship.

I was sitting in the north press box, at the top of Madison Square Garden, and the sound was loud, to me.

It is always considered it bad taste to make intentionally loud noises during a shot, whether players or fans. Should Kennedy answer questions about this?

On the journalistic front, I thought this was an interesting observational piece by Jeff Goodman. Other outlets picked up on it and reported, as well.

Mark Brunell = Tim Tebow????

Tim Tebow has been one of the most interesting Quarterbacks in the NFL this year. As a passer he has struggled mightily, but yet hes still managed to keep his team in control and win games. Next week, Denver's rugby experiment is scheduled to face one of the best defenses in the NFL the New York Jets. So how have the Jets prepared for Tim Tebow? 41-year old backup QB Mark Brunell. Brunell was once one of the most prolific QBs in the NFL. As a second year starter with the Jaguars in 1995, Brunell started in 13 games and rushed for 480 yards. It remains to be seen how well Brunell has the Jets prepared for Tebow, but it shows the interesting impact Tebow is having on NFL teams.

A New Element to the Paterno Scandal

At this point, most people are shaking their heads at more Paterno news; the story has been beaten to death in the media. I don't want to jump on the Paterno bandwagon, but I point out this article because of the new angle the NY Times takes here.

Someone has uncovered a little secret about the infamous coach's finances, and it adds an interesting element to the whole scandal.

Just this past July, Paterno reportedly transferred his home to his wife's name for the price of $1 and "love and affection." The market value for the home is $594,484.

This revelation brings out a number of questions; why did he do it? Was he anticipating the fall out of the scandal?

It looks like he was protecting his ass(ets).

Lawrence A. Frolik, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh, questions, "Are they hoping to shield assets in case if there’s personal liability?”

The important thing here, however, is the fact that the NY Times is finally trying to take this story in a new direction. We're all tired of hearing about the obnoxious student protests, the cover-up and the firing of a life-long employee.

Whether or not the NYT reporter was the one to uncover this information (but props to him if he was the investigator), I think it is notable that we finally get to see something new in the story here.

Verlander Officially Crowned King of The Mound

What most baseball fans around the country considered an already determined outcome, became official Tuesday afternoon. Detroit Tigers ace pitcher Justin Verlander was named The American Leagues Cy Young award winner for the leagues most outstanding pitcher.

Verlander, who went 24-5 this season, was a unanimous choice by the baseball writers who had votes receiving all 28 for the first place choice. Verlander led the Tigers to this years ALCS against the Texas Rangers, while pitching to a remarkable 2.40 ERA.

Others receiving votes in successive placement were the Angels Jered Weaver, The Rays James Shields, and The Yankees C.C. Sabathia. Verlander accomplished the feat while winning the pitching version of the triple crown leading the league in Wins (25), ERA (2.40), and Strikeouts (250). He is the first starting pitcher to do so since Roger Clemens for the 1986 Boston Red Sox.

In a season in which Verlander pitched his second career no-hitter, most speculate he may also capture the leagues MVP award later this week.

Information for this post found here: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7238325/justin-verlander-detroit-tigers-unanimous-winner-al-cy-young

Is soccer for suckers?

St. John's outdid UConn this past weekend and won the 2011 Big East men's soccer championship.


What was a bit disheartening from that was the fact that besides a few statuses on Twitter, the St. John's community did not seem as proud or affected at all by the win. Which made me think, had this been basketball would we, as Johnnies, have celebrated more? Would we have worn our red freshman hoodies Monday morning in order to show our pride in our school?


I have a lot of respect for soccer players, as in my eyes it is a grueling sport that requires a lot of effort and is risky for them, just as much as any other sport. I hold soccer at a high standard and the St. John's team has gone to great lengths to reach my personal standard. 

I just wish the entire community felt the same.

Green Bay Packers to sell more shares

The Green Bay Packers are offering shares of the team to the public to help add 7,000 seats, update the sound system, and replace the old scoreboard all for around 22 million dollars. When experts were asked if the sale would go well the answer was easy; after winning the Super Bowl last year and with a 9-0 record the Packers are worth about 1.089 billion. The shares are being offered at $250 each, and the team last offered public shares of the team in 1997.

This is unique because the Green Bay Packers are the only publicly owned team in the NFL, and are set in a metropolitan area of just over 300,000. The part where the team is publicly owned comes in big there because many large ownership groups would not keep an NFL team in such a small media market. The Packers also lack the amount of affluent fans that teams in huge cities like New York, and Dallas have. This shows how humbling it is that the people of Green Bay will jump at the chance to buy these shares and support their history and the team

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/sports/football/in-green-bay-shares-of-stock-are-more-than-a-financial-investment.html?ref=sports

Coack K - 903

Move over Bob Knight, there is a new All-Time D1 winningest coach.

Mike Krzyzewski has been a marquee head coach over the past 3 decades and has always done his job in the most professional ways.

As head coach of Duke, Coach K has 466 weeks ranked among the nations top 25 mens teams, 12 national coach of the years titles, 11 final four appearances and four national championships.

Talk about a resume.

In the mid-90's Coach K almost resigned from Duke due to illness but then decided to remain. Good choice, huh?

Duke basketball is what it is because of Krzyzewski and all the hard work he put in to make Duke royalty of college basketball.

St. John's Head Coach, Steve Lavin called Coach K the modern day John Wooden.

A high praise that isn't to far fetched as it sounds.

For me, it seems hard to imagne staying with a program for 31 years and constantly putting some of the greatest teams together, year in and year out.

To Coach K, he does it as if it's like breathing air.

Congratulations to Coach K on this amazing achievement.

LINK

Rex's Mouth

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/7234366/nfl-looks-rex-ryan-words-fan-new-york-jets-fall

The NFL is currently investigating this video to determine if Jets head coach Rex Ryan will face a suspension or a fine. The Jets lost this past Sunday night to their division rival the New England Patriots. As you would expect Ryan was very upset about the loss and probably should have bit his tongue until he entered the locker room. As heard in the video above, a fan yells at Ryan saying the Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is better than him. Ryan obviously upset from the loss yells back, "Shut the f*** up!" Fans can be heard laughing but someone who is not going to be laughing is NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Since being named commission, Goodell has developed a reputation for cracking down on players, and coaches to act professionally on and off the field. Ryan has to start thinking before he talks. I like Rex a lot and I like his sense of humor, but he was out of line on this one.

Carrier Classic Means More Than Basketball

Story Link

The Carrier Classic, a game between Michigan State and North Carolina that took place on the USS Carl Vinson, was a one-of-a-kind experience.

Being that this took place on Veteran's Day, with the President in attendance, I think it made itself into a column for Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com.

Sports has always been a way for Americans to bond and this game puts that on display again. Parrish did a good job of weaving the non-sport aspects of the story in with basketball undertones, which helps it to transcend sports and help it gain a wider readership.

The best stories aren't really about sports.

Whose call is Manny vs Marquez?

If you actually caught this fight, most people would say that Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao actually lost to Juan Manuel Marquez.

Read the first article by Tim Smith of the New York Daily News or by a few others that covered the game, and you could have sworn that they were on the Marquez sidelines with a Mexican flag, and green, white and red pom-poms.

When did journalist become cheerleaders? Because I entered this field to know what happened and to dispense that information to the public. And that's not what happened in this article.

Smith, a columnist, wrote an article with his views (better known as an editorial) and the News tried to pass it off as a news article. But then he re-wrote the story, instead he attributing most of the blame, and emotions to others with knowledge of the fight, like the trainers or fighters themselves, and that story was in the columnist section. Seriously confusing!

The problem I have with the reporting is that everywhere had the story written like the first, where reporters thought Pacquaio lost the fight, and clearly made that the theme of their stories. Maybe he did, but I think our job its not to say that it is, but report what happened and if others thought so then let them say it.

For the record Pacman won the fight, and now holds a record of 2-0-1 over Marquez. But According to Marquez and reporters it should be look like: 1-1-1 on both sides.

Sources:

(editorial story that was in news section)

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/manny-pacquiao-wins-controversial-majority-decision-juan-manuel-marquez-retain-wbo-welterweight-title-article-1.976872

(news story that should be in editorial)

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/manny-pacquiao-loss-words-controversial-win-juan-manuel-marquez-saturday-las-vegas-article-1.977063

Just To Early

One of the biggest aspects of college sports is recruiting.

You need a coach who is very good at convincing potential student-athletes to join a university for a certain sport.

For instance, basketball.

St. John's head coach, Steve Lavin came into the 2011-2012 season with the 3rd ranked recruiting team in the nation.

Now, not even a week into the season, he is missing three players and now lost two 2012-2013 recruits.

As we already know, JaKarr Sampson, Amir Garrett and Norvel Pelle were all ruled ineligible to start the season. Sampson de-committed from St. John's and re-opened his recruitment and there are talks he may reclassify.

Yesterday, Ricardo Gathers, a recruit from Louisiana rescinded his commitment to St. John's just a few days from the start of the winter signing period.

No reasoning has been given but that isn't the issue at hand.

What is the issue is that maybe teams and student-athletes are jumping the gun when it comes to getting a player to commit or a player committing to a school.

We have seen over the years a lot of players commit to a program then de-commit and the reasoning over it 9 out of 10 times, "I rushed my decision".

That's what another St. John's 2012-13 recruit said when he de-committed from the University a couple months ago.

Now may that be the real reasoning? Possibly, but coaches need to be careful sometimes of who they go after and the time period they do it in.

Maybe it's time coaches take their time getting a commitment and players take their time in committing so that things like these don't happen.

LINK

Lavin Is Almost Back

http://espn.go.com/new-york/ncb/story/_/id/7208523/steve-lavin-back-st-john-practice-surgery

 St. John's University head basketball coach Steve Lavin is making his way back to his full time duties as the head coach of the basketball team after recovering from his cancer surgery. Lavin has been home recovering from his surgery at the request of his doctors who instructed the second year head coach rest. Lavin has done what he was told to do and it looks like he might be back in a couple of weeks. He was seen at practice for the first time this year yesterday. Lavin has been in close contact with the team watching game films and reporting to the team over the phone. Lavin put together a very impression season last year leading the Red Storm to their first NCAA tournament appearance in almost ten years. And with a new class of talent coming in this year, Lavin and the St. John's faithful are ready to have him back as soon as his recovery is over.

46 Years

After the 46 years of history “Joe Pa” as he is called in Happy Valley will most likely be removed from the head coaching position at Penn State. After a former assistant to Joe Paterno was charged with sexual assault on numerous counts it was revealed that Paterno allegedly knew about the wrongful conduct. The decision will be made by the schools board of trustees only a day before senior day when the Nittany Lions face off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in its last home game of the season.
During his time at Penn State, Paterno made a name of the team, and brought them to two national titles. It is a shame that after such a long history with the program that his career with them will end in the wake of this scandal. His first year as head coach was 1966; my dad was 10 years old, Lyndon B. Johnson was President of the United States, and the New York Mets were entering into their 4th season in the MLB. This is truly a sad way for him to end his time as the longest running coach in college football history.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/sports/ncaafootball/penn-state-said-to-be-planning-paternos-exit.html?_r=1&hp

Race Track in NJ

I chose to highlight this story from the NY Times not only for its interesting content, but also for its unique angle.

The story tells of a proposal to hold the Formula One Grand Prix of America in New Jersey on the west side of the Hudson. The race will ideally take place in 2013.

Through humor and a bit of sarcasm, the story highlights just how unlikely it is for the race to be held in such an urban area. Corey Kilgannon, the reporter, hopped in his own car (a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu) and rode the route himself.

The story is full of humorous comparisons; it's hard to imagine a road race with cars going 200 m.p.h. when cars are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic during rush hour.

Kilgannon spotted a 1998 Dodge Viper RT-10 at a light, and although the driver turned down the offer to race, he did pull into a gas station parking lot to show off his car.

"Those hills and turns can be nasty," the driver said of the route. He also guessed that the loop could be finished in a minute by a Formula One driver.

For Kilgannon, however, the trip was not so easy. Construction, traffic and pedestrians all hindered his fantasy of being a race car driver.

Economically, the race could also bring a lot of revenue to the area with hotels, restaurants, gas stations, etc.

So the question is, would holding a Grand Prix race overlooking the views of Manhattan be a good idea?

Kentucky Comes Out of the Gate On Fire

Story Link

Kentucky under John Calipari has been a special case. Where many school build over the period of a few years, Calipari runs a load, unload, reload approach that brings in the best players, they leave for the NBA, and a new class of elite players come in.

This is going to be an interesting season for Kentucky though, and a problem for the rest of college basketball. Because of the NBA lockout, guard Doron Lamb and forward Terrance Jones return for their sophomore seasons, to go along with the nation's best recruiting class.

That was on display Monday night, as Kentucky outmanned Division II Morehouse, winning, 125-40.

Teams traditionally play Division II and III schools before the season, as a way to prepare and they are typically blowouts. But, this was a historical blowout. It took Kentucky eight minutes to lead by 30 and they brought a 74-13 lead into the locker room.

I looked at this from the prospective of a beatwriter.

It certainly makes it for an easy running story. No problem getting that in on time. No need for a rewrite.

This team will be interesting to follow throughout the season and covering a team of such a high caliber would be interesting. As was mentioned in class, it makes it easier to cover a team that is either very good or very bad. Mediocrity does not make for good stories.

Joe Frazier's death a good thing

Image: NY Daily news

Frazier (left) Ali (right)

Joe Frazier, a boxer who ruled the sport for years and was known as one of the only fighters able to challenge the G.O.A.T. (Muhammad Ali), past away yesterday at the age of 67.

He died after a long battle with liver cancer.

Smokin' Joe was no doubt a great fighter and will be remembered by many, who appreciate sports and great figures, however, his death really helps us.

From a news stand point, it was finally something else to talk about other than NBA lockouts and Pacman and Money acting like babies.

Death sells papers! Death is dark, sometimes gruesome and evil, and just plain sad, but as journalist we love it, we thrive on it and we just may need it. Our audience falls in love with these "hero's" like Frazier and when they died, our customers want to know. They want to know how he/she died, when, where etc... News is one big story, and people just want to keep up with the chapters.

I don't think I need an example for this, but here's one off the top of my head. Former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. After he died, the media had so much work they were busy covering just that for days. Outside of sports does anybody remember how much work the media had for the month after Michael Jackson died. Point proven.

Frazier's death marks the loss of a great person who excelled in their field, but man does it generate work for us. I saw Frazier's death reported by just about every newspaper, TV station, and media department everywhere on twitter first. Then it was on websites minutes later. And this morning it was everywhere, even made the front page of the New York Times.

I know this sounds weird, but when someone asks me "Guess what happened to someone?" One of my favorite replies are, "They died?"

Why? Because in most cases its automatically news. Frazier will be missed and God rest his soul, but thanks for the story, because with his death we can write the end of another great chapter.

--La Guerre

Sources: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/joe-frazier-dies-loses-battle-liver-cancer-40-years-fight-century-muhammad-ali-article-1.974122

Big East Looking to Expand

http://espn.go.com/new-york/story/_/id/7177969/big-east-invite-six-football-according-report
The Big East Conference has sent out six invitations looking to expand their conference which took a big hit a couple of months ago. Syracuse and Pitt announced that they were leaving the Big East Conference to join the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). There has been a lot of talk and a lot of debate about what is going to happen to the Big East when two of there top programs leave. Both programs are leaving because the market for NCAA football is a big one and the Big East Conference does not have a lot to offer in the football program. This might be the Big East's last shot to have their conference.

Dodgers’ owner agrees to sell his team

After a total of two years of attempting to coerce Frank McCourt, the Dodger's owner has finally agreed to sell the team. The Dodgers who are known to be one of the most historic and iconic teams in baseball has suffered greatly in the past few years but this sale could bring them back to life.
The MLB is working alongside McCourt to guarantee the sale is as profitable for both him and the team. The price for the team is said to be at around $1 billion dollars but no word has been released on any possible buyers.
“Frank McCourt no longer being owner of the Dodgers was inevitable from the moment he and his wife began their nasty divorce battle. Frank did not want to recognize this reality, but it appears he has finally come to terms with it,” said sports industry consultant Marc Ganis.
Since this past season the New York teams did not do as well as usual, maybe the sale of the Dodgers can bring new life to the West Coast as fans are excited for the change saying "Frank McCourt is finally out!"
Let's see how this story pans out.
Best of luck to him and to the team.

Flag Football It Is

Maybe Kevin Durant wants to play QB in the NFL now that the NBA seems poised never to start up again.

This past week, Durant took part in a flag football game with no other then a college frat who were having their usual intramural game.

Durant tweeted he wanted to play flag football somewhere and George Overbay retweeted him and told him where they were playing.

After a couple tweets, DMs and texts, 500 spectators found their way over to the field to watch Durant throw 4 TD's and grab 3 INT's.

Not bad for a rookie, huh?

Once again, social media goes to show that athletes, though they make millions upon millions of dollars, are just average people who too enjoy doing things other than what they are paid to do.

Social media may not always have a positive effect but it does provide for people to really see athletes or famous people for who they are.

A couple months ago, Brandon Philips ended up at a little league baseball game via Twitter. A fan had told him he'd love for him to be there and Philips being around the neighborhood stopped over.

Again, they are just regular people.

Social media is a wonderful outlet and it's been an on going topic through the past year or so because of how big it's developed and when use properly it can bring a two-time scoring champ and a college frat together to play flag football.

Not sure OKC officials were too happy though.

Link

Taiwan gets a taste of "The Show"

The crowds in Taiwan's Xinzhuang Stadium found out right away why the United States and the New York Yankees are synonymous with baseball royalty, by way of Curtis Granderson and a deep fly ball to right. 

Early Tuesday morning U.S. time, the Chinese Taipei National Team squared off in the first of a 5 game series against a team of Major League Baseball's stand-out players in Taipei. In a contest which was delayed slightly, and subsequently called early due to persistent drizzles, Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson brought on the proverbial storm with a rain maker of a home run; a third inning grand slam, which appeared to fly clear out of the stadium, giving the MLB team a 4-0 lead. The club of America's stars would never look back as they cruised to a 7-0 victory. 

In addition to the "Grander-Slam", the MLB club also posted runs on a RBI double by the Washington Nationals Mike Morse, and a two RBI single in the fourth inning by the Florida Marlins Emilio Bonifacio. 

The MLB club sent Baltimore Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie to the mound to face off against the Chinese Taipei squad. Guthrie worked in and out of trouble in the first few innings, but was able to shut out the national team while pitching three innings and allowing only four hits and striking out two batters. 

The MLB star club was lead into competition by San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Bochy had made it a point in the post game press conference to admit that the Chinese Taipei club gave the MLB club a run for their money, despite the area not being known as a global baseball hotbed. The Giants manager was quoted as saying "I thought they battled and really competed well. They have a lot of young players, but they had us on the ropes. You tip your cap. They were playing hard."

Game 2 of this 5 game scheduled series takes place Thursday morning U.S. time, and will be aired on the MLB Network Thursday night at 9 P.M. 

Information for this article was found here: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111101&content_id=25856884&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

Stanley Cup Rioters to face charges in Vancouver

Four months after the Stanley Cup Final, Vancouver Police are finally bringing 163 charges to court for anything from looting, to mischief, to assault. After the Vancouver Canucks lost the Stanley Cup to the Boston Bruins the locals took to the streets and started smashing store windows, lighting cars on fire, and causing problems with police officers trying to quell the riot. Authorities have used amateur videos shot by onlookers and have asked for people who have recorded proof of the riots to send them in to the police departments web site. They have also used DNA samples to identify perpetrators as well.
This isn’t the first time Vancouver rioted after the Canucks lost the Stanley Cup. In 1994 the citizens of Vancouver took to the streets after the New York Rangers beat them in the Stanley Cup Finals. If the Canucks make it to the final again in the upcoming years will this be a normal practice? Other cities have been known to riot after their teams lose or win big playoff games. There were riots in Denver after the Colorado Avalanche won a crucial game in the playoffs in 2001 and Los Angeles has made it a tradition to riot after big wins by the Lakers when they make playoff runs. If Vancouver can convince the court system to go through with the charges and cases this could be a good thing for the city. If they make an example of the rioters from 2011 successfully then maybe it can help discourage people in Vancouver from destroying their cities after disappointing loses.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/10/31/sports/hockey/AP-HKN-Stanley-Cup-Riot.html?ref=sports

It's all fun and games until money is involved

Image Credit: New York Daily News/ Sabo - NY Mets 2B Jose Reyes

When you have a player locked-up with a contract for a couple of years, regardless if you're team has a successful championship year or a losing year- it's still all good, because there is always next year.

But if that player is in a contract year or is able to opt-out from their contract, then the worrying starts. Such is the nature of sports and such is the predicament which befalls the New York baseball teams. While there are some teams and players which have developed a mutual respect for each other and will be loyal when time of resigning comes around, these cases are rare.

There are nearly 150 players in the Major League Baseball that will take the role of a free agent and of those players, the New York Yankees and the New York Mets have two of the biggest valued agents in CC Sabathia and Jose Reyes. The big question in this baseball-town is whether or not these teams can return their major players, or hook in an even bigger fish.

The Yankees have already made an offer to CC, and the Mets are looking to test the market with Jose. Sabathia is reportedly looking for a record deal, and I suppose Reyes will also be looking for the most money that he can collect. Both players have amazing stats and reputations, but in the end it comes down to business. Sometimes with all the fun, the memories and the familiarity, people forget that sports is also a business and the players and organizations have to do the best to succeed efficiently.

For fans its hard to imagine a player like Albert Pujols, who has known one team (the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals) in another uniform, but think about it this way; for Albert, Albert needs to get the best deal for Albert's services. It's fairness, not selfishness.

Of course unless of course he wants to play for a certain team (see LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Joe Mauer). But if the Brewers don't resign Prince Fielder, although fans will be upset, its another part of sports. The media makes a good job to insight fear into fans by proposing the opposing teams that are interested in their star, but honestly fans should realize this reality already.

In the article below by the daily news it outlines the players on the Mets that will become free agents after this year and details about them. Fans will have to face the harsh reality that all seven of these players including All-Star second baseman and battling title winner Jose Reyes could be on a different team next year unless the organization acts. But again it will act in with its best interest at heart, because while there is fun and games in sports, it's still a business.

Source: NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/shortstop-jose-reyes-ny-mets-heading-free-agency-article-1.969276

Michael Beasley and Sports Journalists' Role in NCAA Violations

Story Link

Michael Beasley in the news because he is suing his former agent for conspiring to represent him while he was still a teenager. In addition, he is suing his former AAU coach for providing his mother with money that was illegal, in terms of NCAA rules.

Now, this isn't necessarily the story that interests me. The more interesting point, I found, is what the role of a journalist is when it comes to NCAA rules and their enforcement.

The NCAA uses a system of rule enforcement that is largely based on self-reporting and the reporting of others to tip them off to violations. Does this mean that sports journalists are really the NCAA's police?

The underbelly of NCAA is not clean. Some people know that and some people don't. But why has it become the job of those in sports journalism to find violations (those that are not illegal in the eyes of United States law)?

Are crime journalists obligated to find crimes and report them to cops? Of course not. It is the police officer's job to find criminals and newspapers simply report on them.

Investigative journalists who uncover fraud and other malpractices are working in the interest of the consumer or the general public. Their reporting benefits the wider mass of people.

By reporting NCAA violations, journalists are ultimately working for the established organization.

The true free press in the United States was designed to fight tyranny, or the concentration of power in one entity. The NCAA is a completely concentrated entity, with journalists ultimately working for it to enforce rules.

What the NCAA calls violations (players selling their property; getting paid, as in the Cam Newton investigation, to play) is what the free market calls "business".

The job of a sports journalist should be to protect players from abuses of the NCAA and not the other way around.

The Nail in The Coffin of The Epstein Regime

As if the clubhouse shenanigans, the general manager resigning, the manager being fired, and a late September collapse weren't enough for the Red Sox organization, another blow has been dealt to the New England based ball club with the news yesterday that John Lackey will miss the entire 2012 season due to mandatory Tommy John surgery.

At this point, fans in Beantown must be sarcastically asking themselves "what next?" This is certainly one of those scenarios which fits the old adage when it rains it pours.

This could not have been remotely close to what newly appointed Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington had in mind for his first official press conference. Tuesday, amid his welcome party, Cherington dealt the news to Red Sox Nation like the angel of death himself in regards to the future of the 2012 season. Lackey, a former Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim standout, is currently signed with the Red Sox through 2014, with a club option in 2015. To this point, Lackey's output can not be what Theo Epstein had envision when he signed the big righty to a 6 year, $82 million dollar contract three years ago.

Lackey will be the second high profile Red Sox starter to undergo the heavy rehab-laden surgery, in addition to Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. It is a surgery which often times players return from better than ever, if not at least to the same level of effectiveness.

On a satirical note, maybe if he had a clubhouse attendant pouring the beers for him this would have never happened. Cheers to that.

Information used during this blog post can be found here: http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7148697/boston-red-sox-john-lackey-tommy-john-surgery

T.O. to Old?

Yesterday, Terrell Owens held a workout for NFL teams to show he was ready to return to the field after his ACL tear this off season only problem though was...no team was there.

Is it the age (37) or is it maybe the baggage that Owens will bring that doesnt just include his cleets, shoulder pads, helmet and his sharpie.

Last season, Owens nearly eclipsed the 1000 receiving mark to go along with 9 touchdowns while with the Bengals so we can't really think age is the reason teams are staying away.

Owens is without a doubt a Hall of Fame player but his attitude has been his hindering attribute through his career and at this point, there is no way for him to fix it.

I think that there are still a team that will take a chance on him but it will be slim. The Rams and Titans look the most promising but then again, why would a team who has no chance at the playoffs go bring Owens in? Especially the Rams with a young QB in Sam Bradford.

I say the only way you see Owens in a uniform is if a playoff bound team loses a wideout and needs to replace them. Other then that. Owens 2011 season is in doubt.

What do you say?

LINK

Farmers Play Fantasy Baseball, Too

Thousands of wild baseball fans participate in fantasy games through The National Fantasy Baseball Championship, but one man wins. Twice.

Lindy Hinkelman has won two of the last three contests in this "league," and he has earned over $300,000 in prize money. When he's not acting as a fantasy manager, he's farming pigs in Greencreek, Idaho.

The small town farmer credits a lot of his success to his experience on the farm:

"Raising pigs and this baseball thing really go together. There are certain things in farming: keeping track of productivity, indexes for your sows, the genetic lines there. To do well, you’ve got to be pretty proficient in numbers. Math has always been my strong suit. I can see things with the numbers."

Fantasy sports got their start in 1980, but the concept really caught on with the boom of the internet. The fantasy sports association says that about 13 million people currently play fantasy baseball, second only to fantasy football.

What does this say about society as both sports reporters and sports watchers? It is a crazy phenomenon that is financially paying off for fans. Think of it this way: Hinkelman made more money off of fantasy championships than most reporters, stadium workers and other employees in the industry.

In some ways, this fantasy obsession benefits the sports industry: more people are watching, paying attention and tracking games. With their fantasy team on the line, fans now watch the games of all teams, not just their own. At the same time, does this desire to win a fantasy game kill the essence of watching a game in the first place? Is it creating the wrong kind of fans?

Staying Classy

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/7144471/new-york-jets-rex-ryan-san-diego-chargers-stay-classy-san-diego

This past weeks football game between the Chargers and the Jets was a difficult one to watch for me personally. I know that being in New York right now, I am definitely the minority when it comes to that, but putting loyal aside for a second. It was a good football to watch. There was a lot of drama, there has been history between these two teams in recent years, and the team that was losing had an opportunity to win the game during the last minute. The Chargers managed to blow an eleven point lead after dominated the first half of the game. The Chargers came out flat while the Jets made some good halftime adjustments. After such a dramatic comeback, it begs the question, did the Chargers lose the game or did the Jets win the game? Chargers tight end Randy McMichael made his stance clear when he said that the Jets had no affect on the outcome of this game saying that the Chargers lost it. While former Charger and current Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie says that the Jets won it. Jets head coach Rex Ryan didn't answer the question about who won or lost the game but did remind San Diego to stay classy.

Is Tim Tebow The Next Big Thing

Sunday's late comeback over the winless Miami Dolphins already has people talking about the great things Tim Tebow seems almost destined to accomplish. But just how good was Tebow on Sunday? Tebow completed just 13 of his 27 pass attempts, and only threw for 161 yards, yet his late game heroics have caused a hysteria in the media. In the last minutes of the game, Tebow threw for 2 touchdowns, and rushed for a 2 point conversion to force overtime. The Broncos would go on to win this game after a 52 yard FG in overtime, and Tebow instantly became the star that Broncos fans hoped he would be, even though his performance was pretty mediocre. Tebow and the Broncos are set to face the Detroit Lions next week, a team that has surprised almost everybody even though it is currently coming off of a 2 game losing streak. This should be a real test for Tebow, and is his first real chance to prove he has what it takes to be a starter in the NFL.

Kevin Parrom Works Back from Tragedy

Story Link

This was a very good feature story from Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com about Arizona forward Kevin Parrom.

What has happened to Parrom over the past few months is one of the saddest sequences of events that one could think of any person, let alone a college-aged person, could go through.

His grandmother died of cancer. Not too long after, he found out that his mother's condition had degenerated and she was losing her battle with cancer. While on a trip to see his mother in the Bronx, he was shot in the leg and hand. His mother died shortly thereafter.

I commend Jeff Goodman on a well-written feature that deals with a very emotional subject, obviously. I liked the way he led into the story. It was a very blunt and emotionally-charged sentence that draws you into the rest of the story.

Goodman came over from Fox in the spring and has been a great addition to the ever-improving CBSSports.com lineup. I prefer their writing to ESPN's. Very insightful, with not only news, but features like this, as well.

UCLA vs Arizona Streaking/Melee/Blowout, So What?

The video up above has been spiraling around the inter-web for days. It certainly will for weeks, and years later it'll pop-up somewhere again. To summarize, what happened here is a streaker, dressed as a referee, stops play by blowing a whistle, runs out on the field and then starts to undress and initiate his prank. Of course the crowd loved it, and what happened after that, they love too. The teams both got into a huge brawl that cleared the sidelines and delayed the game. Most critics believe the reason for the brawl was not the prankster's actions, but the emotional tension from UCLA, which was down 42-7 to a team that had previously only won one game. For they're players-- and even their fans-- tensions were running high, but this isn't anything to be worried about, this is sports!

Streakers and pranksters of various kinds, fights that stop games, interrupt play and get players, fans and managers fined or imprisoned, and blowouts, beat-downs, routes-- this is all sports. This is the same things we've been watching for a long time. There are many other qualities that define this form of entertainment, but in this one game there were so many elements that make sports the reason why fans watch it. Of course we wouldn't like to see this happen at every game, that would be nonsensical, but once a while when emotions reach their peak and everyone explodes and something unusual happens, it makes for great entertainment. Listen to the fans cheer at the streaker and the fight in the background for example.

There are so many memorable fights, beat-downs, and pranks that have thrived in sports lore keeps the history going that it honestly would be too boring if everything went smoothly every time. Now and again its fun to see these kind of occurrences. I've maybe watched this video about 10-times, and then saw it again on SportsCenter. Sports wouldn't be the same without these occurrences, and they will happen again- because the true fans love it.

Definitely approved!!

-- La Guerre

Source:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/904543-ucla-vs-arizona-fight-video-fake-referee-not-responsible-for-classless-brawl

When will Theo have his day?

All but the press conference has take place in the acquisition of former Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein by the Chicago Cubs organization. The only thing left to wonder, is what his role will he play in Shy Town?

The original speculation by most, was that Epstein would continue in Chicago as a GM, but now talks of the Cubs hiring Padres executive Jed Hoyer to fill that role put a huge question mark on the hiring. Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman reported that the speculated move could leave Epstein in the position to be President of the Cubs Organization.

When Padres GM Hoyer was asked upon the speculation, he brushed off comments insisting he was preoccupied interviewing hitting coach candidates.

The Cubs have had a vacancy in the GM office since Jim Hendry was relieved of his duties in mid August. Needless to say, this is a problem the Organization needs to resolve with the all important free agent period being right around the corner.

Major League Baseball tends to discourage clubs from making comments which detract from the spectacle of the World Series, so the guessing game begins as to when an announcement will be made. The most recent interruption for non fall classic related news was a few years back when the league allowed the ownership sale of the very same Cubs during October of 2009.

We will all have to sit on the edge of our seats and wait to see what happens as this drama continues to unfold as the Cubs attempt to end their run of futility from the front offices down.

Information for this story found here: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111018&content_id=25697942&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

What's the hold up?

A 16 hour meeting took place until early Wednesday morning between NBA players, owners and Federal mediator George Cohen to determine a new deal, but all parties left without reaching an agreement. 

The meeting will continue starting at 10 a.m. in hopes of compromising between players and owners. What happens if they do not agree?

Does this mean boyfriends would actually have to think of activities to do with their girlfriends during the time they usually have allotted to watching basketball games? Will celebrities have to find a new place to hang out this year, instead of their usual court-side seating game experiences?

It is interesting to see where this story will go and see if they make any progress at today's meeting and reach a solution. If not, boyfriends everywhere have some planning to do.

iFootball with iPads

"[Football] fans use mobile devices to watch multiple games at once and to analyze data in real time. Meanwhile, players pore over Polaroid photographs during breaks or wait as officials measure out first downs using sticks attached to chains."- NYTimes

In 2011, the majority of the population is obsessed with technology; from iPads to iPhones, tablets to fancy laptops, and all the conveniences that apps and the Internet provide. It only makes sense, therefore, that people utilize these advances in their work place to make their lives easier, including the NFL.

The Baltimore Ravens are among the many teams who are replacing their over-sized and out-dated binder playbooks with iPads and other tablets. The technology not only serves as an easier way to carry plays, but also as a calendar, nutrition schedule, and work-out plan, to name a few. Players can also easily log onto social media outlets and reach their fans, boosting the PR and marketing for their team.

The coaches are able to remotely make changes to schedules and plays, and the front office also has the power to delete information on any device should it fall into the wrong hands.

The technology has so many possibilities, yet it also faces some serious obstructions. Playbooks and photographs are allowed on the sidelines of a game, but a tablet is not.

The playbook app is also a roadblock for many; it is difficult to navigate and if the wrong password is entered three times, all the information is immediately erased from the device. And while some players are loving the technology, others are stuck in their old ways.

For now, this technology has only been seen with the Ravens and Buccaneers, but it is only a matter of time before the rest of the NFL sees these changes. Will the tablets ever be allowed on the sidelines? And on the business end, will there be a future deal with Apple?

Famous people as ownership in sports franchises

Even though there is currently a lockout in the NBA it is still making headlines. The Philadelphia 76ers have been sold and out of the several owners two that can be noted are Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. While the Associated Press writer decided to bury this in the nut graph, the Smiths are now another addition to the slough of celebrities that have taken stake in a professional sports team.
Most recently LeBron James bought shares in the biggest sports franchise in the world; Manchester United of the Premiership League in England. Fellow pro athlete Michael Jordan also has a stake in the Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA with hip-hop artist Nelly. And Usher and Jay-Z have ownership deals with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New Jersey Nets respectively.
The Miami Dolphins have Venus and Serena Williams, Marc Anthony, Emilio and Gloria Estefan, and of course Jimmy Buffet in their partnership and for a season Jimmy Buffets beer company even had sponsorship rights when it was called Land Shark Stadium. Will it become a frequent practice for famous sports stars, musicians, and actors to make investments in major sports teams? It seems like the routine is leaning towards that idea.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/10/18/sports/basketball/AP-BKN-76ers-Sale.html?_r=1&ref=sports

Big East Exit Fee Goes Up

http://espn.go.com/new-york/story/_/id/7117098/report-big-east-raises-exit-fee-10-million
I found this article to be interesting because our school is in the Big East conference and the conference isn't looking to good going forward. The Big East conference has been dominated by basketball for a long time and it is often the the case that people forget that there are other sports in the conference. Pitt and Syracuse have already announced that they are leaving the Big East and will be joining the ACC. Of course the main reason for this move is money. Both universities are making plenty of money in basketball, but the Big East is not up to par with football. And college football makes the the NCAA millions of dollars every year. I think the exit fee has been raised in an attempt to save the conference and prevent other teams from leaving. But other universities might pay the fee in order to make more money elsewhere.

Red Sox Revealed

Source: http://articles.boston.com/2011-10-12/sports/30271654_1_jon-lester-josh-beckett-terry-francona

If you haven't read this story about the Red Sox, then you are missing on a great piece of journalistic gold. In the article, Inside the Collapse, the Red Sox pitchers, Josh Becett, John Lackey, and Jon Lester were revealed to have fooled around in the locker room, while their teammates where trying to hold on to a playoff season. It criticized the team and examines it's leadership, and most important it comes from the Boston Globe; where it should come from, because they should know this team the best.

It tells the story behind the scenes, and answers the question many people wanted to know when the Red Sox collapse was occurring-- What's going on with this team? The manager had problems out side the field, while losing power in the clubhouse. Players and management weren't getting along, and the Players just slacked off. It's like the tell-all of the clubhouse and the article does just about everything right. The one thing I don't like, but can't really argue with is that there aren't many credible sources. The article quotes many unknown sources and readers can't tell if its true or not.

But otherwise, the investigation done to complete the article was well done, and if the accusations (and I use this word because the information wasn't confirmed by a credible source) then the organization can't argue with the reporting. If something is wrong with the team, the fans deserve to know about it. Reporters aren't only the government watch dogs, but society watch dogs. Fans pay to see these guys its just not right if they aren't giving their all.

I'm sure every sports organization has its secrets, and most fans have know clue what's going on in the background, but that's where journalist need to step in and let the people know what's, what! On the other hand, now that the article is out, most likely the paper will receive some sort of reply from the Red Sox. But hopefully they will sort out these locker room problems for the fans sake.

Approved!!

--La Guerre

The Reinvention of Mike Gundy

Story Link from CBSSports.com

The video, above, has become infamous. Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy exploding at a press conference because he felt one of his players was inaccurately portrayed in a newspaper column.

There are a number of angles to take on this subject, especially when talking about how to deal with a coach who goes on such a tirade, but I'll stick close to what was written by Brett McMurphy in his column on CBS by taking a look at how he assembled the piece.

In the most famous part of Gundy's tirade, he says to the reporters something to the effective of, "Criticize ME! I'm a MAN! I'm 40!"

McMurphy took this and, coincidentally, Gundy won his 40th game since the tirade, this past weekend. That made for a fitting bridge in the story. It has more of an effect on the reader because of this subtle connection.

News-wise, this story has the oddness and the triumph that makes for a good story, along with the visibility of a program that is in the Top 10 in the country. As a national columnist, it is almost the perfect recipe. Especially on an internet medium like this, you want to capture as many audiences as possible and not just narrow it to Oklahoma State fans. This story is structured such that it is a good read for any college football fan.

Would you like ketchup on that Hot Dog, Woods?

Tiger Woods was once the most loved and supported golf player in the industry. People respected him for his ability to play the sport effortlessly and magnificently while maintain a laid back, cool persona.

All of that changed when a sex scandal involving him and an array of women, broke out a few years ago. Woods, a then married man, was having sexual relationships with many women when his then wife model Elin Nordegren, discovered him. 

Since then, Woods has not been able to pick himself up both professionally and personally. He not only lost his family, but he lost the adoration and respect from his fan.

A recent event this past Sunday was an indication of that when the once America's Golf Sweetheart was served with a hot dog thrown during a tournament in San Martin. A man ran into the golf course, hot dog in hand, and threw it at Woods with no success in hitting him with it. The man dropped to the ground and put his hands behind his back and was taken into custody.

It's so unfortunate to see that his personal life has led to nearly two years of professional recovery. Despite different companies removing Woods from endorsement deals due to his family situation, his affairs should not affect his game.
An affair is something that at the end of the day, should remain a private ordeal between a couple so that they work through it together and resolve their issues.

The once private man, had his every personal mistake broadcast to the public and magazine cover after cover focused on the man's faults for months at a time. There is no fault on behalf of the media because the player was a married man and should have not been involved in such actions, but they should not have covered it so as to leave his career in shambles.

Woods is slowly picking himself back up and is on the road to redemption. He used to be one of the golden stars of golf before the turmoil and he seems to be building up to that once more, step by step.

Watch the Hot Dog video here:

Holy Cow! Why let the Brewers have all the fun

Bernie Brewer Picture from Google Images.

By Liam La Guerre

There is always more to talk about when you’re covering a team, and that’s why I like this article. As the Brewers are in the postseason, this New York Times article lets us know about Brewer’s baseball culture through the history of its mascots.

And the one thing that I’ve noticed about this team is they like to have fun. To me the various mascots living in Miller Park correlates with that “fun” characteristic. I mean if you don’t believe me, watch a home game, and wait after Prince Fielder belts a line-drive homer to right center – then you’ll see the main Brewers’ mascot “Bernie Brewer” slide down a gigantic, yellow slide, beyond the outfield.

Approved!

Then there are the sausage races. I mean who doesn’t like sausage races. Awesome!

What I really like about this article is that it introduces the audience to another side of the team, but also it pin points one area where others looking in can relate, except for the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and Angels, of course, which don’t have mascots. Yet?

If the Yankees created a mascot would we join the fun? Come to think of it, what kind of mascot would it be? The Angels and cubs shouldn’t have this problem, but what could represent the Yankees. Scooter the Holy Cow of the Staten Island Yankees isn’t a bad idea. It brings back the memories of one of the Yankee greats –Phil Rizzuto—and it’s different.

Maybe it’s just too embarrassing to represent the big, strong, tough, dominating Yankees in the Bronx, but think of all the benefits—exciting kids and younger fans and more interaction with the crowd. Mr. Met has done such a great job in Queens, he was inducted into the mascot Hall of Fame. Holy Cow! Why let the Brewers have all the fun, maybe it’s time to join in.

-- La Guerre

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/sports/baseball/in-brewers-sausage-race-theyre-all-wieners.html?_r=1&ref=sports

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_mascots