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What's all the BUZZ about?It's ALL about sports! Sit back and catch up on all the sports news! |
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October 12, 2008 From: ESPN ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- B.J. Upton and the Tampa Bay Rays won a game of home run derby with a shallow fly ball. Pinch-runner Fernando Perez dashed home on Upton's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and the Rays outlasted the Boston Red Sox 9-8 early Sunday, evening the AL championship series at one game each. The teams combined for seven home runs, tying a postseason record. But after 1:30 a.m., the Rays won a game that lasted 5 hours, 27 minutes when Perez beat right fielder J.D. Drew's throw home. The series shifts to Fenway Park for Game 3 Monday, with left-hander Jon Lester pitching for Boston against Matt Garza. Dustin Pedroia homered twice for Boston, and scored on a wild pitch in the eighth that made it 8-all. Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin walked Dioner Navarro and Ben Zobrist to begin the 11th and Jason Bartlett grounded out, moving runners to second and third. After Akinori Iwamura was intentionally walked to load the bases, Upton -- who had homered earlier -- followed with fly ball down the right-field line. Drew settled under the ball, but rushed and made an off-line throw that two-hopped home. Perez scored easily -- he stole 43 bases in Triple-A this season, and went 5-for-5 on steal tries with Tampa Bay. Rookie David Price earned the win. He entered with a runner on first and one out in the 11th and walked Drew, but struck out Mark Kotsay and retired Coco Crisp on a grounder. Jonathan Papelbon pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, getting the defending World Series champion Red Sox to the 11th. He extended his career postseason scoreless streak to a major league-record 22 innings over 14 appearances. |
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October 4, 2008 From: USA Today The question that is getting asked about the Brewers is a simple one: Was it worth it? Was it worth going for it all this year, when there's a real chance now that all they'll get out of it is one home playoff game at Miller Park? Was it worth it, with the very real likelihood that both CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets are headed out the door via free agency the moment this postseason ends (which could be Saturday night)? Was it worth it? Robin Yount says absolutely, it was. "Hey, it's been a long time since this organization has been able to feel anything like this," said Yount, who returned to the organization as bench coach when Dale Sveum replaced Ned Yost as manager. "You can see the excitement all around town. Everywhere you go in Milwaukee and Wisconsin, that's what they're talking about again. And it's great to see, because these people here have such a passion for this stuff. To get them this far, they feel like, 'Hey, we've done something!' " Yount isn't giving up on this series with the Phillies, even though the Brewers trail two games to none and need two wins just to give Sabathia another chance. But Yount also believes that Brewers fans will appreciate this team, even if the postseason run doesn't end well. "Hey, we didn't win the World Series (in 1982), and you would have thought we did when we came home (from St. Louis)," he said. "We were treated like we were world champions, even though we didn't win. I don't think there's too many places that would have accepted the team back in quite that manner. I'm telling you, this place has got something going for it." ***** Yes, Yount did hit against Jamie Moyer, the 45-year-old who starts Game 3 for the Phillies. He went 3- for-11, with four walks. Sveum also faced Moyer; he struck out once and was hit by a pitch in his other plate appearance. ***** In Chicago, they're wondering if Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez are reliving last year's playoffs. Neither one drove in a run last October, as the Cubs were swept out of the playoffs by the Diamondbacks. Neither had an RBI as the Cubs lost the first two games to the Dodgers this week. But if you think the big guys have to hit for a team to win, you haven't seen the Phillies. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley combined for just one hitt and two RBIs in the first two games against the Brewers, but the Phillies won both games. "We had other guys step up," manager Charlie Manuel said. "That's kind of what a team is about." Utley and Howard were a combined 5-for-23 with one RBI last October, when the Phillies were swept by the Rockies. |
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September 25, 2008 From: ESPN Hall of Famers Tom Seaver, Joe Namath and Janis Joplin played there in 1970. The Beatles invented the stadium rock show there in 1965. The Mets, Yankees, Jets and Giants called it home in 1975. No, it's not Yankee Stadium but Shea Stadium, built by the city of New York on land near the site of the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing, Queens, and adjacent to LaGuardia Airport. After Washington's D.C. Stadium (later RFK), Shea was the second facility that shared Major League Baseball and pro football to open in the 1960s, and it featured movable stands to convert the field from baseball for the Mets to football for the Jets. Shea was originally to be called Flushing Meadows Stadium, but it was renamed for New York lawyer William A. Shea, who spearheaded efforts to bring National League baseball back to New York after the departure of the Giants and Dodgers. The Mets are the only major New York sports team that still calls Shea home, and they play their final series there this weekend against the Florida Marlins. (The Mets will move next door to Citi Field next season.) A look at the history of this New York baseball landmark Top 10 games in Shea Stadium history 1. Game 5, 1969 World Series (Oct. 16, 1969): The Amazin' Mets cap an improbable season, beating the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 to clinch the World Series championship. 2. Game 6, 1986 World Series (Oct. 25, 1986): To set the stage for a dramatic evening, superfan Michael Sergio lands on the Shea Stadium field during the first inning with a parachute and a "Go Mets" banner. 3. 1968 American Football League Championship (Dec. 29, 1968): Joe Namath passes for three touchdowns as the New York Jets beat the Oakland Raiders 27-23 and advance to Super Bowl III, for which Namath famously guarantees a win — the Jets are a heavy underdog, as the 1969 Mets also will be. 4. Black cat game (Sept. 9, 1969): The Chicago Cubs' lead in the National League East, which was nine games Aug. 16, has shrunk to 2½ games when they arrive at Shea Stadium for a two-game series against the second-place Mets. 5. Return of sports to New York (Sept. 21, 2001): The Mets play the first game in the city after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 6. Perfection (June 21, 1964): Hall of Famer Jim Bunning, pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies, throws a perfect game against the Mets. It's the first perfect game in the NL in 84 years. 7. Record run for O.J. (Dec. 16, 1973): Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson rushes for 200 yards against the Jets, giving him a record 2,003 yards. 8. 1964 All-Star Game (July 7, 1964): The American League leads 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth when the NL stages a rally keyed when the San Francisco Giants' Willie Mays steals second base. The Philadelphia Phillies' Johnny Callison wins it two outs later with a three-run homer that gives the NL a 7- 4 victory. 9. Walk-off clincher (Oct. 9, 1999): The Mets win a 1999 NL Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Todd Pratt's home run in the 10th inning of Game 4. Pratt is in the game only because starting catcher Mike Piazza is injured. 10. Grand-slam single (Oct. 17, 1999): Eight days later, in Game 5 of the 1999 NL Championship Series against Atlanta, Robin Ventura hits a ball over the right-field wall in the bottom of the 15th. The Mets win when Roger Cedeno scores from third, but Ventura doesn't make it around the bases amid the celebration. The Mets lose the series in Game 6 in extra innings in Atlanta. |
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September 7, 2008 From: ESPN FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady screamed. The fans went quiet. The seemingly indestructible star of the New England Patriots lay on the ground, clutching his left knee. The NFL's reigning MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion was done for the day -- at least. "He was in a lot of pain. When you hear a scream, you know that," Kansas City safety Bernard Pollard said after hitting Brady on the left leg midway through the first quarter. Untested Matt Cassel took over, and played well as the Patriots beat the Chiefs 17-10 in Sunday's opener. But they needed a last minute defensive stand to do it. There was no word on the extent of Brady's injury -- "I am not sure what we are dealing with," coach Bill Belichick said -- or how long he would be out. But his 128-game starting streak, third-longest in NFL history, is in jeopardy. Various reports Sunday night said Belichick told the players that the injury was serious. The Patriots were already looking for a possible replacement for Brady. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that former Tampa Bay quarterback Chris Simms was coming in Monday for a physical. "It kind of looked bad," Randy Moss said. "I know the show must go on and, hopefully, Matt Cassel is ready to step in." He was Sunday. That came as somewhat of a surprise after he failed to produce a touchdown in 17 exhibition series, leading many to wonder if he would even make the team on which he backed up Brady the past three seasons. "He did a good job coming in and, obviously, made some big plays for us," tackle Matt Light said. "That guy's had a lot of criticism cast down on him and I felt like he stepped up and played like a professional." Still, the Patriots plummeted from an exclamation point of an unbeaten 2007 regular season to a huge question mark in 2008. They lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants 17-14 then went 0-4 in the exhibition season while Brady had a right foot injury and missed all four games. |
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cruise past Ticats |
September 6, 2008 From: TSN HAMILTON - With both teams at the bottom of their respective divisions, the B.C. Lions and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were already in desperate situations just midway through the season, both fighting to stay close to their division rivals. It was the Lions who looked serious about the challenge, soundly defeating the Tabbies 35-12 in front of 18,723 disgruntled fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium on Saturday. The win improved the Lions' record to 5-5 and allowed them to keep pace with Edmonton and Calgary, both 6-4 and tied for second in the West. Hamilton is now at 2-8 and at the bottom of the East. Winnipeg went into its Sunday afternoon game against Saskatchewan also with just two wins. B.C. hasn't had a losing season since 2001 and has been shell-shocked by its record the first half of the season. This effort seemed to get the train back on track. "It was a game where we had pretty much control of it from the beginning," said head coach Wally Buono about an effort in which the Lions led 27-6 at the half and finished the game with 431 yards of total offence to Hamilton's 258 yards. The defence also boasted seven sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. "Can we play a lot better? I believe that we can. The good thing is we won and we get back into the (playoff) hunt." B.C. also has an edge on the cross-over playoff spot. In the CFL, a division's fourth-place team can earn a playoff berth if its record is better than the other division's third-place team. Buono said he's not even thinking about it. "The only thing I don't like is losing," he said. "It's a long season and from our point of view, we're not looking (at anything) other than the fact we've got eight more games left. The playoffs will take care of themselves. B.C. Lions quarterback Buck Pierce threw for one touchdown and scrambled for another to lead his team. He finished with 29 completions on 37 attempts for 364 yards, one touchdown and one interception. "We're really just gelling right now," he said. "We know we might not hit a lot of home run balls, get a lot of touchdowns, but we're going to hold onto the football. We're going to wear that defence out. They were dog tired by the third quarter." |
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since Dunn's arrival! |
August 27, 2008 From: ESPN There are no dreadlocks. So they're not selling dreadlock wigs -- nor mullet wigs, the man's self-described hairstyle -- at the Arizona concession stands. "Let's hope not!" the slugger says. And to the Diamondbacks, "Adam being Adam" simply means slugger Adam Dunn wearing his usual T- shirt around the clubhouse and underneath his jersey, the funny black one that brings a smile to your face every time. The front is adorned with the smiley yellow face that was popular in the 1970s. The lettering underneath reads, "I Hate You." "Seems like he's been here forever," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin says. The best trades of all aren't simply when the new guy makes a big splash and goes on a tear. No, the best trades come when the new guy not only produces, but when he makes those around him better while he's doing it. The jury is still out in Los Angeles, where recently acquired slugger Manny Ramirez has, in addition to trimming his hair, cooled off and his Dodgers have hit the skids -- again. Here in the middle of the Arizona lineup, it appears as if Dunn and the Diamondbacks are here for the long haul this season. Since his arrival on Aug. 12, the Diamondbacks have gone 7-5 -- and yet doubled their NL West lead on the Dodgers, from 1½ games to three. Some of Dunn's influence has been obvious. Signature moment so far: Ripping that three-run, first-inning homer against San Diego ace Jake Peavy in Arizona last Wednesday after the Padres had seized a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. The Snakes went on to win 8-6. Some of his influence has not been so obvious, though it has been just as important: Lengthening the lineup and easing the pressure on some of Arizona's other hitters. Allowing them not to be forced into pretending to be what they're not. |
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August 17, 2008 From: CBC Fuelled by disappointment in Athens, and determination to succeed in Beijing, the Canadian men’s eight has come to the end of a four-year journey to the podium. The reigning world champions had been living under the shadow of their crushing defeat four years ago, where the medal favourites finished in fifth place. "I've been thinking about it ever since," said rower Kyle Hamilton. Now, Hamilton and the rest of the men’s eight will have far fonder Olympic memories. On Sunday, the crew clinched the gold medal that eluded them four years ago. Since their disaster in Athens, the crew has toiled under the single-minded focus of winning in Beijing. Four hard winters “Gold medals are awarded in the summer, but they’re earned in the winter. That was four years of hard winters,” said Hamilton. The crew trained under head coach Mike Spracklen. “Mike Spracklen creates the most demanding training regime in the world,” wrote Adam Kreek in a blog for CBC Sports. “He doesn’t just pressure his athletes with volume and intensity of work. He constantly presents opponents to compete against. Mother Nature is on the list.” The crew trained each day in sun, rain, snow, hail, strong wind and high waves. Kreek recalls pea-sized chunks of hail hitting his ears while his frozen body struggled with every stroke. “As aches throb through my body I embrace them. I focus on winning, and the good feelings that come with success,” Kreek wrote. The experiences in the boat are varied – there are two first-time Olympians, two dads and 25-year-old Malcolm Howard, a Harvard graduate who still lives at home with his mom. Despite the differences, the team seems to be tightly knit. “[In Beijing] we dominated, and that is such a testament to what a great crew this was,” said Jake Wetzel. The men's team of Ben Rutledge of Cranbrook, B.C., Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C., Howard of Victoria, Andrew Byrnes of Toronto, Wetzel of Saskatoon, Dominic Seiterle of Victoria, Kreek of London, Ont., and Hamilton of Richmond, B.C., had not lost a race in two years. |
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August 15, 2008 From: SLAM! Sports BEIJING -- First it was the president, then came basketball royalty. With every stroke he swims here, the legend of Michael Phelps grows and everyone, it seems, wants to get in on the action. The American superstar impressively took care of yet another piece of business at the Water Cube on Friday morning, showing the versatility that has allowed him to get this far by easily winning the men's 200- metre individual medley final. With the whole world scoring at home, that's six-for-six and the "Baltimore Bullet" is right on target to smash the single Games record of seven gold set by another American swimmer, Mark Spitz, at the 1972 Games in Munich. Not to rub it in for the anxious folks at home, but Phelps' six-pack equals Canada's gold medal output for the past two and a half Olympics. Phelps time of 1:54.23 was his sixth world record here and his margin of victory this time around was an astonishing 2.29 seconds over runner up Laszio Cseh. American Ryan Lochte was a hair back in third to claim the bronze. While his competition is getting faster and are swimming times that would have won medals in most events in Athens, Phelps is like the mechanical bunny that the greyhounds at the dog races never can track down. Good for the rest of the world for going faster, but they still can't catch the 24-year-old who is re-writing the Olympic record book with clinical efficiency and minimal flash. "He's the reason the times are so much faster these Olympics than in the last Olympics," said Canadian Keith Beavers who was seventh on Friday, more than five seconds slower than the American superstar. "Times that were winning medals (in Athens) aren't even making finals here. "It's everyone chasing Michael now, which makes his feat that much greater." Those feats get more impressive by the day now as record after record tumbles and the tearing down of Spitz's mark looks to be more and more of a formality. He's already the most gilded athlete in the history of the Olympic movement with a dozen gold medals, three more than his nearest rivals who he passed earlier in the week. "He is the icon of the Games," IOC president Jacques Rogge said. "The quest to have more medals than Spitz will be something very important. And he's keeping the attention of the public." |
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step to podium! |
August 11, 2008 From: CBC The Canadian men's eight rowing team took its first step toward redemption with a first-place finish in its opening heat at the Beijing Games on Monday. The crew finished in five minutes, 27.69 seconds to advance straight to the finals, while second-place Poland and third-place Netherlands will compete in the repechage to try to advance to the finals (Day 9, Aug. 17, 5:30 a.m. ET). The Canadians were a full boat length ahead at the 1,000-metre mark. Poland finished seven seconds behind the leaders. The men's team is seeking redemption after a crushing fifth-place finish at the 2004 Athens Games. "We knew the heat was as important as the final, particularly at the Olympics," said crew captain Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C. "The goal was to go out there and win the heat, and we went out there and won the heat. Now we've got a week to prepare. The next race is not far away." The crew was scheduled to compete on Sunday, but opening heats had been postponed at the Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park due to a thunderstorm. Officials had hoped to resume competition later on Sunday in Beijing, but due to the threat of lightning, it was decided that the heats would resume on Monday. The Canadian men will meet Great Britain in the finals, after their first-place finish in the other men’s eight heat on Monday. The American and Chinese teams will go to the repechage after their second- and third-place finishes. |
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August 5, 2008 From: ESPN When Jerome Holtzman, a legendary baseball writer and a good man, died two weeks ago, I hoped some closer would celebrate a save by pumping his fist, falling to his knees, pointing to the sky and shouting, "This one is for you, Jerome!" The gesture would make me respect closers a little more. Which is to say, still not very much. Holtzman made closers incalculable millions because he is the writer responsible for the save becoming an official baseball statistic. He invented the save in 1960 as a way to better measure the effectiveness of relievers and it became an official major league stat in 1969 (saves previous to that year were added to record books after the fact). Trevor Hoffman, at least, acknowledged his debt to Holtzman. The all-time saves leader told Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune he would light a cigar in the writer's honor (Holtzman loved cigars, which could be a minor annoyance if you had the misfortune of sitting next to him on deadline). "Obviously," said Hoffman, who has earned more than $60 million as a closer for the Padres, "I benefited quite a bit from him thinking that a reliever's value was something that could be quantified through a statistic." The problem is that Holtzman's well-intentioned attempt to measure a reliever's worth has been cheapened, manipulated and bastardized to the point that the save is the most overrated stat in baseball and the closer is the most overrated and replaceable role in American sports. We have hyped the closer into a ridiculously over-the-top role. They enter games to fanfare normally reserved for Oprah and pro wrestlers -- heavy metal entrance music is such a clichéd prerequisite that controversies arise over who has the more legitimate claim to a particular song (see Mariano Rivera v. Billy Wagner). When J.J. Putz still was regularly closing games for Seattle, the Mariners played AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" over the loudspeakers while the scoreboard flashed menacing lightning graphics and displayed the current time as "10:03 PDT, Putz Domination Time." |
