Sports Off-Topic

[The Dude]

catch all sports discussion for topics and conversations that don't warrant a thread

[Kopek]

While perusing SI's 25 list (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/extramustard/08/06/you-tube/index.html), I still got a chuckle from...

57W05-oopNA

[iKnowJohnStamos]

While perusing SI's 25 list (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/extramustard/08/06/you-tube/index.html), I still got a chuckle from...

57W05-oopNA


Rome is the least charismatic person to get his own show and remain on the air since Carlos Mencia

[Stax]

This really isn't MLB so putting it here. From Baseball Prospectus:

While many Venezuelan stars have said they won't play in the 2009 World Baseball Classic because they felt they were not treated professionally and were not happy with manager Luis Sojo and his coaching staff during the inaugural WBC in 2006, Giants shortstop Omar Vizquel does plan to play again if asked. Among stars who have said that they are opting out are Mets left-hander Johan Santana and Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, third baseman Carlos Guillen, and right fielder Magglio Ordonez. Cubs right-hander Carlos Zambrano says he is on the fence. The Venezuelan players are upset that Sojo has been asked back. The stars felt they should have been consulted about the choice of managers after Venezuela finished a disappointing seventh in the 16-team event three years ago.

Vizquel's having none of it. "I think it's kind of sad that they're thinking about that instead of their country," Vizquel told the San Francisco Chronicle. "We have no control over how they pick the team and who the manager is. Our job is to play baseball, not worry about who's managing. It's a pity that people think about that instead of what they should do on the field."

Whoever's pulling the string in Venezuela and is sticking with Sojo is a retard. Santana, Miggy, Mags, and potentially Zambrano are most most definitely worth more than a manager.

[Morfin]

The players don't call the shots. Fucking whiners. Just play the game for your country.

[Stax]

That's true, but regardless it's also stupid on Venezuela's part

[Kopek]

I just listened to 5 minutes of OSUMike's podcast (http://www.mikeandmike.mypodcast.com/). No joke --- like sports talk for retards spoken by retards with lisps. Should have known better but whatever.

[ShitBreak]

Meh...not for everyone. Plus, the last episode we did fucking sucked because all you could hear was me.

[Stax]

Meh...not for everyone. Plus, the last episode we did fucking sucked because all you could hear was me.

Wow, that does sound terrible.

[BooBooBear]

The players don't call the shots. Fucking whiners. Just play the game for your country.

Agreed.

[corban]

Gotta love the Bungles.....they bring back the mighty Henry back

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AqdogUVrg_.JUq_rT3fiKCpDubYF?slug=ap-bengals-henry&prov=ap&type=lgns

What a joke of a organization.

[Zilchoid]

What's the deal with sports teams in sigs like before? I've only seen myself and one other person have 'em. Are we holding off until Syn et al can work the icon magic to the left again?

[Kopek]

People aren't sheep.

[NOTKyle]

People aren't sheep.

No, they are. Just that none of the cool kids have done it yet.

[Kopek]

Cool kids rock quotes.

[ShitBreak]

At this point, I have no need to put teams in my sig.

[Penguin Rick]

LLWS news:

That Fontenot kid from Louisiana is really fucking dirty (had 15 SO's in 5 2/3). He's pitching against Mexico tomorrow for the championship and that'll be a damn entertaining game.

And as I'm typing this Hawaii is making a rally.

[Penguin Rick]

Holy shit.

[Sex Cannon]

This. Is. Ridiculous. Jericho is one of the few people that understands the curse of the dragon.


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3553475

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player -- too good, it turns out.
The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph. He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told his coach that the boy could not pitch any more. When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said.

[+] Enlarge (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3553475#)

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0825/espn_a_jericho_200.jpg (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3553475#) AP Photo/Douglas Healey
Officials with the Youth Baseball League of New Haven say they will disband Jericho Scott's team because his coach won't stop him from pitching.



Officials for the three-year-old league, which has eight teams and about 100 players, said they will disband Jericho's team, redistributing its players among other squads, and offered to refund $50 sign-up fees to anyone who asks for it. They say Jericho's coach, Wilfred Vidro, has resigned.
But Vidro says he didn't quit and the team refuses to disband. Players and parents held a protest at the league's field on Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch.
"He's never hurt any one," Vidro said. "He's on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?"
The controversy bothers Jericho, who says he misses pitching.
"I feel sad," he said. "I feel like it's all my fault nobody could play."
Jericho's coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league's administrators.
Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching.
"I think it's discouraging when you're telling a 9-year-old you're too good at something," said his mother, Nicole Scott. "The whole objective in life is to find something you're good at and stick with it. I'd rather he spend all his time on the baseball field than idolizing someone standing on the street corner."
League attorney Peter Noble says the only factor in banning Jericho from the mound is his pitches are just too fast.
"He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower," Noble said. "There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport."
Noble acknowledged that Jericho had not beaned any batters in the co-ed league of 8- to 10-year-olds, but say parents expressed safety concerns.
"Facing that kind of speed" is frightening for beginning players, Noble said.
League officials say they first told Vidro that the boy could not pitch after a game on Aug. 13. Jericho played second base the next game on Aug. 16. But when he took the mound Wednesday, the other team walked off and a forfeit was called.
League officials say Jericho's mother became irate, threatening them and vowing to get the league shut down.
"I have never seen behavior of a parent like the behavior Jericho's mother exhibited Wednesday night," Noble said.
Scott denies threatening any one, but said she did call the police.
League officials suggested that Jericho play other positions, or pitch against older players or in a different league.
Local attorney John Williams was planning to meet with Jericho's parents Monday to discuss legal options.
"You don't have to be learned in the law to know in your heart that it's wrong," he said. "Now you have to be punished because you excel at something?"

[Fletch]

Wow, that is ridiculous. The coach that forfeited because he had to face the kid really sent a good message to his players. "Hey guys, this guy is much better than you. Let's just quit!"

[Stax]

CT power

[nuclearjew]

Connecticut is the herpes sore on the face of Northeast America.

[Stax]

Connecticut is the herpes sore on the face of Northeast America.

Pretty sure that's Rhode Island.

[nuclearjew]

No, that's the tip of the overall sore.

[Penguin Rick]

That kid is legit. And that is one crappy message they are sending to the kids in that league.

[Penguin Rick]

Speaking of which, here (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/26423192#26423192) is video of Jericho Scott pitching. I'm surprised Scott Boras isn't knocking on his door yet.

And apparently he's started 5 games and he's got 5 CG no-hitters.

[Papelgod]

THERE IS NO GOD.


http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2008/08/jay-mariotti-coming-to-boston

Please, no.
Chicago columnist Jay Mariotti abruptly resigned his position (http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003843112) with the Chicago Sun-Times this week, to “pursue other opportunities.” At the same time, he proclaimed newspapers a dying industry and stated that sportswriting has become “entirely a Web site business.” (Which he might be correct about.)
This morning, Chicago Tribune media columnist Phil Rosenthal (http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-thu-phil-rosenthal-28aug28,0,4708625.column) ended his column on Mariotti with the following chilling passage:
One rumor on which Mariotti would not comment had him bound for Boston and an array of multimedia opportunities. How he would find flaws in a city with defending champs in basketball and baseball is anyone’s guess.
“An array of multimedia opportunities” - where would he get those? WEEI.com? (BSMW colleague David Scott has already gotten a denial from an Entercom source) Boston.com? They just hired Tony Massarotti to be “the voice of Boston sports on Boston.com.” The Boston Herald to replace Massarotti? That’s a newspaper…a dying industry. A revamped ESPN Boston? Doubtful.
An emailer to BSMW yesterday also stated that Mariotti was dropping hints about Boston his radio show yesterday. I did not hear the clips, so I cannot verify them, but it seems worth mentioning, especially given the content of the Rosenthal column today.
I really hope this does not happen. Marriotti symbolizes pretty much everything that is wrong with the sports media business right now. He’s all about faux controversy, storylines and manufactured outrage. We’ve got enough of that right now in this town.

[hatepoppy]

thank christ he's out of chicago.

[Stax]

Ahahaha, Dan Shaughessessessessseghy and Mariotti should have a kid.

[ADD]

THERE IS NO GOD.

More like God rulez!

[Papelgod]

Ahahaha, Dan Shaughessessessessseghy and Mariotti should have a kid.

Between Shaughnessy, possibly Mariotti, and Tomase, Boston is soon going to be officially a haven of horrible and exploitative sportswriting.

[hatepoppy]

Between Shaughnessy, possibly Mariotti, and Tomase, Boston is soon going to be officially a haven of horrible and exploitative sportswriting.
too bad mariotti had to wait till manny left. he'd never stop running his dicksucker.

[ADD]

He'll have Randy Moss

[hatepoppy]

He'll have Randy Mosstrue, but it's a belichick'd moss.

how much randy-being-randy is mariotti going to have to talk about? meh, wouldnt put it past him to make some up.

[ADD]

He'll call him a not so clever nick-name and then shit on Boston. It'll be old after about 3 articles.

[jcmanuel]

What was Ozzie Guillens thought on Marriotti qutting?

[Penguin Rick]

It's kinda funny (http://deadspin.com/5042864/ozzie-guillen-bids-farewell-to-his-personal-lord-voldemort)

[Penguin Rick]

Did Chad Johnson seriously just legally change his name to Chad Ocho Cinco?

[opasewq]

http://img.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/phelps.gif

[Morfin]

Did Chad Johnson seriously just legally change his name to Chad Ocho Cinco?

That's right, not to Chad Eighty-five, but to Chad Eight Five. Double idiot. World B. Free is crying.

[Zilchoid]

I was just listening to Mike and Mike and they had their weekly visit from Dick Vitale. Is anyone else tired of him? He's too preachy nowadays and his delivery schtick is really wearing thin. Sure, he's enthusiastic, but I can get enthusiastic about basket weaving if you pay me the money he makes.

[Fletch]

I was just listening to Mike and Mike and they had their weekly visit from Dick Vitale. Is anyone else tired of him? He's too preachy nowadays and his delivery schtick is really wearing thin. Sure, he's enthusiastic, but I can get enthusiastic about basket weaving if you pay me the money he makes.

I've been tired of him for about 5 years. He and Chris Berman both are just too over the top now. They're just caricatures of themselves.

[Penguin Rick]

Yea, I think he's a good guy and all, but I personally hate listening to him on the radio.

[Fletch]

Lance Armstrong may ride again. Get ready to see a billion yellow wristbands again.

Lance Armstrong will come out of retirement next year to compete in five road races with the Astana team, according to sources familiar with the developing situation.
Armstrong, who turns 37 this month, will compete in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France — and will race for no salary or bonuses, the sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told VeloNews.
http://www.velonews.com/article/82892/sources-lance-armstrong-coming-back?loc=interstitialskip

[Hanover Fist]

I just saw that, it's fucking awesome. The cool part is that he's racing for no salary or bonuses and he plans on posting the results of all of his drug tests online.
I may even watch the tour again next year. The last 2 have been disgraces.

[Hawk the Slayer]

Sweet. Can't wait for him to win the Tour de France while all the Euros cry and whine. Even if he doesn't win, I'll at least be interested again. More than can be said lately, that's for damn sure.

[Swurgen]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=ys-mmaweektanner090808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Former UFC champ Tanner dead at 37

[Mr. Brown]

Bulgaria gives up 139 shots on goal in 82-0 women's hockey loss

There's the "agony of defeat." And then there's this women's ice hockey score from the European Olympic pre-qualifying tournament: Slovakia 82, Bulgaria 0.
That's correct: eighty-two goals for Slovakia, none for Bulgaria.
The International Ice Hockey Federation said the result, from a game played Saturday at the tournament in Liepaja, Latvia, set a record score for a women's IIHF-sanctioned event. It was not the all-time record for futility, however; that is still held by Thailand, which lost 92-0 to South Korea in the 1998 Asia-Oceania U18 Championship.
Slovakia, which won all four of its games at the tournament, outshot Bulgaria 139-0, scoring on 58.9 percent of their shots on goal. They averaged one goal every 44 seconds.
Bulgaria trailed 7-0 after 5 minutes, 19-0 after 10 and 31-0 at the end of the first period.
The drubbing capped a woeful showing for the Bulgarian women, who also lost 30-1 to Croatia and 41-0 to Italy in earlier games.
link (http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3577150)

[Stax]

I just saw that, it's fucking awesome. The cool part is that he's racing for no salary or bonuses and he plans on posting the results of all of his drug tests online.
I may even watch the tour again next year. The last 2 have been disgraces.

The issue is the article says it would be his own internal drug testing so... Who cares? If Barry Bonds came out tommorrow with his own blood tests that showed he was clean, would anyone care? Independent testing is what matters.

[merlin13]

October 7, 1916 Georgia Tech beat Cumberland University 222 - 0. Now that is lopsided.

[CrazyCarl]

Croatia should be ashamed they gave up a goal

[Zilchoid]

Croatia should be ashamed they gave up a goal
My countrywomen were probably celebrating early.

[Penguin Rick]

A really good article on Dr. James Andrews - the most important figure in sports? (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/128/the-most-valuable-player-in-sports-is-this-doctor.html?page=0%2C0)

[fuldstændigamok]

Rugby is so fun.

rgN1o747V4Q

[NOTKyle]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=olney_buster&id=3589629&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

Really interesting article about how the Yankees barely even have a farm system.

[nuclearjew]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=olney_buster&id=3589629&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

Really interesting article about how the Yankees barely even have a farm system.
Very interesting. And this is interesting: the players that they "lost" didn't seem to amount to much.
Compensation picks

2006 DRAFT
• Signed free-agent center fielder Johnny Damon; the Red Sox drafted pitchers Daniel Bard (28th pick) and Kristofer Johnson (40th pick/supplemental).

• Signed free-agent reliever Kyle Farnsworth; the Braves drafted pitcher Cory Rasmus (38th pick/supplemental) and shortstop Robert Fontaine (72nd pick).

2005 DRAFT
• Signed free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano; the Marlins drafted pitchers Jacob Marceaux (29th pick) and Sean West (44th pick/supplemental).

• Signed pitcher Jaret Wright; the Braves drafted pitchers Beau Jones (41st pick/supplemental) and Jeffrey Lyman (77th pick).

2004 DRAFT
• Signed free-agent reliever Paul Quantrill; the Dodgers drafted third baseman Blake Dewitt (28th pick) and pitcher Justin Orenduff (33rd pick/supplemental).

• Signed free-agent reliever Tom Gordon; the White Sox drafted pitchers Gio Gonzalez (38th pick/supplemental) and Ray Liotta (69th pick).

2002 DRAFT
• Signed free-agent first baseman Jason Giambi; the Athletics drafted pitcher Joe Blanton (24th pick) and catcher Jeremy Brown (35th pick/supplemental).

• Signed free-agent reliever Steve Karsay; the Braves drafted shortstop James Greene (65th pick) and pitcher Dan Meyer (34th pick/supplemental).

• Signed free-agent outfielder Rondell White; the Cubs drafted pitcher Chadd Blasko (36th pick/supplemental) and shortstop Matt Craig (96th pick).

2001 DRAFT
• Signed free-agent pitcher Mike Mussina; the Orioles drafted second baseman Mike Fontenot (19th pick) and shortstop Bryan Bass (31st pick/supplemental).

1997 DRAFT
• Signed free-agent pitcher David Wells; the Orioles drafted outfielders Darnell McDonald (26th pick) and Ntema Ndungidi (36th pick).

• Signed free-agent reliever Mike Stanton; the Rangers drafted third baseman Jason Romano (39th pick/supplemental) and pitcher Chris Tynan (77th pick).

[Pollo]

I'd say the only worthy guys teams took with the Yankees picks are DeWitt (looks like he'll be the future 2B for the Dodgers), Blanton, and maybe Fontenot.

they can surely use all the picks they can get and buildup that farm system they have because spending money on players doesn't seem to be working for them lately.

[CrazyCarl]

what the hell were the White Sox thinking drafting Ray Liotta?

[bones12]

They thought they were getting Shoeless Joe Jackson again?

[Will-Kill]

Mosleys KO over Mayorga on the last second of the final round was fucking great

Link to story (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080928/ap_on_sp_bo_st/box_mosley_mayorga;_ylt=AttyH9QAXAOCPDxtdFF2oVes0N UE)

[fuldstændigamok]

Is Loeb the best WRC driver ever?

[NOTKyle]

http://i34.tinypic.com/2en21rt.jpg

***** WHHAAAAT

[art_vandelay]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=olney_buster&id=3589629&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

Really interesting article about how the Yankees barely even have a farm system.

Used to be Columbus Clippers! I remember seeing Deon Sanders when his farm team played against them. I think I remember seeing Jeter and Mussina as well.

[Penguin Rick]

So I watched Around the Horn today, and Israel Guttierez won. Except, he had nothing planned for face time. The show must have really gone downhill, since I don't watch it much, but that was pretty fucking hilarious.

[Pollo]

So I watched Around the Horn today, and Israel Guttierez won. Except, he had nothing planned for face time. The show must have really gone downhill, since I don't watch it much, but that was pretty fucking hilarious.

he probably figured Jay Mariotti was going to be handed another win by Reali prior to the show.

[CrazyCarl]

Cowlishaw's Palin impersonation should've landed him the win

[Zilchoid]

http://blog.nola.com/tpsports/2008/10/new_orleans_voodoo_to_cease_op.html

THE NEW ORLEANS VOODOO (AFL) HAS CEASED OPERATIONS


In a letter to Arena Football League interim commissioner Ed Policy, New Orleans Voodoo owner Tom Benson said the Voodoo is folding and severing its five-year stay in the Crescent City and its affiliation with the league, VooDoo team spokesman Greg Bensel said.


This sucks. My company had season tickets two rows from the wall at midfield. The games were fast paced with plenty of action, especially from the vantage point I had. Even though they had the third best attendance in the AFL, Benson (I think) wasn't making ENOUGH money, so he pulled the plug on the franchise. It's utter bullshit and another example of how Tom Benson doesn't give a flying fuck about the fanbase in New Orleans.

[Mr. Brown]

A 91-0 football game tough for both sides to take

ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — The Estero High football staff gathered in head coach Rich Dombroski's office late Friday, almost in stunned silence.

Earlier that night, Estero lost to Naples High by 13.

Not by 13 points. By 13 touchdowns. That's right: Naples 91, Estero 0.

The rout fallout has been growing since the game ended.

"Hey," offered Estero defensive line coach Pat Hayes after the one-sided affair, "I didn't even know 91 was a multiple of seven."

With that, the coaches all got a much-needed laugh.

A half-hour away in Naples, Eagles coach Bill Kramer — the man on the winning end — could use one of those.

He looked at the scoreboard late in the game, saw 91-0, and said he felt sick to his stomach. Kramer's team ran only 31 plays and he kept most of his best players on the sideline — for the entire game in some cases. But still Kramer knew what was coming.

Soon after the game ended, his inbox began filling with angry e-mails, some from Estero parents wondering why so many points were necessary, some from Naples parents wondering why their kids didn't play more in an effort to pad their stats.

"There's only one way to describe it," Kramer said. "Just bizarre."

The schools aren't far off in size: Estero has about 1,400 high schoolers, Naples roughly 1,700.

But the pedigree of the football programs couldn't be more different.

Estero is rebuilding from the lowest level, with Dombroski in his first year at the school and having inherited a program that had simply crumbled. Naples is the reigning state Class 3A champion, and a contender to win the title again. Naples has players committed to Division I schools like Ohio State already and a roster filled with talent at every position. Estero has no college prospects and only about 25 healthy or so players remaining on its roster.

"Some of us, most of us, well, all of us were intimidated," said Tyler Eastridge, a free safety who may be exaggerating when he says he weighs 150 pounds.

Naples led 70-0 at the half; only four of the 1,420 games reported by member schools to the Florida High School Athletic Association this season have seen teams score more than 70 points.

"It was David versus Goliath," Dombroski said, "and David didn't have a stone to throw."

The national record books are incomplete, but a score like 91-0 won't register a blip on the list of all-time defeats. It wasn't even the most lopsided score in the country this weekend — in Ohio, Beechcroft beat Centennial 96-0, taking knees on plays in the fourth quarter to avoid triple figures.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, five teams have scored more than 200 points in a game, with the record believed to be 256 by Haven (Ks.) High in 1927. Naples could have easily topped the century mark Friday, but state rules mandated that the clock run without stopping in the second half, shortening the game considerably.

Dombroski isn't blaming Naples.

"Naples did absolutely nothing wrong," Dombroski said. "We just didn't do anything right."

Kramer has been in this spot before.

In 2001, the Golden Eagles scored 63 first-quarter points and beat Lely High — ironically, where Dombroski's girlfriend teaches today — 85-0, and Kramer suddenly became the target of perceptions that he intentionally ran up the score.

But in that game, just as on Friday, Naples had some of its starters not play at all, and others just for one or two series.

"We've been through it before and you never want to go through it again," Kramer said. "There were people ready to burn my house."

It's an unsettling time again.

The Naples Daily News ran a poll asking if Kramer and his team "should be ashamed" over the result, and by Monday night, the vote was nearly split: 325 no, 272 yes.

Hearing that, even Dombroski shook his head. He e-mailed Kramer on Monday to reiterate that Naples did nothing wrong, but that's hardly the only opinion swirling around southwest Florida these days.

"My daughter plays basketball and there's a local team that's really good and when they're about to score 100, there's no polls about that," Kramer said. "When the local lacrosse team wins 24-0, where's the outrage? Or when kids win 6-0, 6-0 in tennis? We score 10 touchdowns and everybody loses their minds.

"The real irony is we've got some of our parents upset that their kids didn't play or didn't play enough. And you just say, 'Wow.'"

Dombroski knew when he took the Estero job that there would be days like Friday, but he said the 91-0 thumping might help him turn the program around.

"We won't forget this. I won't forget this," said Dombroski, whose freshman program is off to a 4-1-1 start this year, a sign that better days could be ahead for Estero. "We're not going to lay down. We're going to fight for 48 minutes, every time we're out there."

So on Monday afternoon, when school got out at 1:45, the Estero High football team headed to its locker room and prepared for practice. New scouting reports were waiting for them, and soon the team headed onto the field for practice, their blue jerseys whipping in the wind as they stretched.

"Our team might not be winning or might not be on top right now," said right guard Mike Perez. "But we all have to do the best we can do. We can't forget that."

And so, they were back to work, which they'll need. This week, Estero plays Cape Coral — a team that nearly beat Naples.

[CrazyCarl]

I'd be more embarrassed/pissed if a team started taking a knee in the 2nd quarter than if they ran up the score

[Mr. Brown]

Yeah like what were they really suppose to do in that situation? just hike the ball, run around and waste time off the clock?

[NOTKyle]

There's nothing more that coach could've done from the sounds of it.

13 TDs on 31 plays with the best players on the bench?

[Penguin Rick]

In my senior year of high school basketball, we played a team that was terrible and we were up 82-22 after three quarters, and we played the 4 corners offense for the entire fourth quarter.

[NOTKyle]

In 8th grade my team beat Greece Odyssey 82-12. After the game their coach acted like a dick and just said, OUR BEST PLAYER HAS A BAND CONCERT.

[NOTKyle]

How much money did Apple pay ESPN for that insanely obnoxious banner on the main page? My god.

[TheImpossibleMan]

How much money did Apple pay ESPN for that insanely obnoxious banner on the main page? My god.
A great article about how ESPN.com is basically a gigantic commerical for the stations. Since the World Series isn't on ESPN, there is almost no talk about it on the website.

Unrelated:
I'm watching SportsCenter right now and these commentors are amazing...ly bad. Sage Steele sounds like Sarah Palin and Olney is stuttering like a maniac.

[TheImpossibleMan]

Talking about Santonio Holmes, these ESPN anchors keep saying "marijuana cigarette", and I wish they'd stop because it really makes me want to smoke up.

[Lone Wolf]

I just realized that next week the Pats play on the NFL Network, which I don't get. Where would one go to watch such a thing online?

[hatepoppy]

try http://www.myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=americanfootball

ive used tvants and sopcast. myp2p has a pretty detailed tutorial i can link to if youre retarded.

[Pollo]

I just realized that next week the Pats play on the NFL Network, which I don't get. Where would one go to watch such a thing online?

you can also use Justin.tv (http://www.justin.tv/): they typically broadcast all the NFL games with a good stream.

[Hobnail_Boot]

Ex-Redskin LaVar Arrington calls Joe Gibbs a 'coward' (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3696132)

Oh no he didn't!

[TheImpossibleMan]

Fire Joe Morgan done.

http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2008/11/post-1377-relatively-short-goodbye.html

[NOTKyle]

It's always so sad when a good website decides to shut its doors for good.

[Smuckers]

2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans
First Team
Amanda Gates, Nebraska, Sr., 3.96, Communication Studies
Cynthia Barboza, Stanford, Sr., 3.33, Political Science
Christa Harmotto, Penn State, Sr., 3.47, Elementary Education*
Briana Stremick, U.S. Military Academy, Sr., 3.94, Mechanical Engineering
Mallory Clements, SIU-Edwardsville, Sr., 3.94, Business Administration
Kori Cooper, Nebraska, Jr., 3.82, Speech-Language Pathology

Second Team
Jenny Heppert, UCF, Sr., 4.0, Biology
Megan Hodge, Penn State, Jr., 3.39, Management
Kelsey Bowers, Florida, Sr., 3.92, Public Relations
Rachael Moss, Duke, Jr., 3.93, Political Science
Jordan Larson, Nebraska, Sr., 3.31, Communication Studies
Lauren Felsing, UW Milwaukee, Jr., 3.98, Marketing

Third Team
Molly Davis, SE Missouri State, Jr., 4.0, Sport Management
Jillian Wolosiansky, Eastern Michigan, Sr., 4.0, Public Administration
Rachael Breinling, U.S. Military Academy, Sr., 3.52, Geography
Jill Collymore, Washington, Jr., 3.78, Psychology
Samantha Schulte, SIU-Edwardsville, Sr., 4.0, Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology
Rochelle Meulemans, UW Green Bay, Sr., 3.98, Biology

* ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year

Harmotto Named Academic All-American Of The Year; Hodge Earns Second Team Honors
Women’s volleyball student-athletes honored for work on and off the court

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., Nov. 24, 2008 – Penn State women’s volleyball senior middle hitter Christa Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa.) has been named the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced. This prestigious honor is only the second-ever for a Nittany Lion women’s volleyball student-athlete, as Bonnie Bremner picked up the accolade in 1998 and 1999. In addition, junior outside hitter Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) is one of six student-athletes in the country to earn ESPN The Magazine Second Team Academic All-America honors.

Harmotto, also named one of six ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-Americans, earns her second career honor as she picked up Third Team recognition last year. It is the first career national academic accolade for Hodge. In a local connection, Juniata College’s Amber Thomas was named the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year for the college division.

The 2007 Big Ten Player of the Year and a member of the 2007 NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team, Harmotto holds a 3.47 grade point average in Elementary Education while also leading the country in hitting percentage (.518), a mark that is just shy of the NCAA record. For her career, Harmotto is attacking at a school-record .436 percentage with an average of 2.88 kills per game and she is on track to become one of only three players in Penn State history to become a four-time AVCA All-American. A 2007 AVCA First Team All-American, earlier this year Harmotto became one of four players in Nittany Lion women’s volleyball history to record more than 1,000 career kills and 600 career blocks. She currently stands with 645 career blocks, good for fourth-all time, and her 1,190 career kills place her 17th on Penn State’s all-time career list. Harmotto will spend next semester teaching in England as part of Penn State’s student-teaching program before graduating in May.

Hodge has earned a 3.39 grade point average in management while ranking first on the team with 3.93 kills per game on .328 hitting while also adding in 17 service aces and 184 digs for a total of 2.07 digs per game. A 2007 AVCA First Team All-American and the 2007 NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player, Hodge has led the team in kills 15 times and has provided the top mark in digs on seven occasions. She currently ranks eighth all-time in career kills with 1,462 and last weekend against Northwestern and Wisconsin averaged 4.33 kills per game on .600 hitting with 16 total digs.

Hodge and Harmotto, who helped the top-ranked and defending national champion Nittany Lions (30-0, 18-0 Big Ten) to their sixth straight outright Big Ten title, are two of the 18 total ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honorees for 2008 in the university division.

To be nominated for ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), and must be a sophomore in both athletic and academic standing. Academic All-Americans are chosen from a pool of the ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District selections in the eight districts across the country.

[ruffdog]

what the shit?

[CrazyCarl]

how is some chick with a 3.47 GPA the Academic All-American of the Year?

[mongo]

lulz at the 3.31 in communication studies.

[NOTKyle]

wAnZJJDSvTg

My school.

Hard to tell from the quality, but there are about 16 people in the stands.

[Smuckers]

2008 Division I AVCA All-Americans announced for volleyball.

Penn State has 6 All-Americans (4 First Team, 2 Second Team); Texas has 3 First Teamers, Stanford has 3 First Teamers; Florida's Kelly Murphy National Freshman of the Year.

CONGRATS TO ALL!!!!!

http://www.avca.org/awards/divisional-/division-one-all-america/

OMAHA, Neb. (December 17, 2008) - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is proud to announce the 28th annual AVCA Division I All-America Teams for women's volleyball. The awards will be presented Dec. 19, 2008, at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet at the Qwest Convention Center in Omaha, Neb.
Each of the three AVCA All-America Teams is comprised of 14 athletes. The Division I AVCA National Player of the Year will be announced on Dec. 19 at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet.
Stanford University middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo and Penn State University outside hitter Nicole Fawcett headline this year's selections, as they were the only four-time AVCA All-America honorees, each having earned three-consecutive First-Team nods and a Second-Team distinction in 2005. Joining Akinradewo and Fawcett in making their third-straight First-Team selection is Stanford outside hitter Cynthia Barboza, Penn State outside hitter Megan Hodge and UCLA setter Nellie Spicer.

Of all of the First-Team honorees, all but one have previously garnered AVCA All-America recognition during their careers, with Purdue University middle blocker Stephanie Lynch snagging her first-ever honor. A total of 23 athletes -over half of this year's recipients - representing the three teams are first-time AVCA All-America selections.

2008 AVCA Division I First-Team All-America
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown

Foluke Akinradewo*^@ Stanford University MB Sr. 6-3 Plantation, Florida
Cynthia Barboza*^ Stanford University OH Sr. 6-0 Long Beach, California
Hana Cutura# University of California OH 6-4 Zagreb, Croatia
Ashley Engle $ The University of Texas RS/Opp. Jr. 6-3 Yorba Linda, California
Nicole Fawcett*^@ Penn State University OH Sr. 6-4 Zanesfield, Ohio
Alisha Glass # Penn State University S Jr. 6-0 Leland, Michigan
Christa Harmotto *$ Penn State University MB Sr. 6-2 Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Megan Hodge *^ Penn State University OH Jr. 6-3 Durham, North Carolina
Destinee Hooker # The University of Texas OH Jr. 6-4 San Antonio, Texas
Alix Klineman # Stanford University OH So. 6-4 Manhattan Beach, California
Jordan Larson %^ University of Nebraska OH Sr. 6-2 Hooper, Nebraska
Stephanie Lynch Purdue University MB Sr. 6-3 New Albany, Indiana
Lauren Paolini % The University of Texas MB Sr. 6-5 Ann Arbor, Michigan
Nellie Spicer *^ UCLA S Sr. 5-10 Barrington, Illinois

2008 AVCA Division I Second-Team All-America
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown

Sydney Anderson University of Nebraska S So. 6-0 Sandy, Utah
Blair Brown Penn State University RS/Opp. So. 6-5 Purcellville, Virginia
Laura DeBruler University of Illinois OH So. 5-10 Downers Grove, Illinois
Brook Dieter University of Minnesota OH So. 6-1 Bloomington, Minnesota
Neticia Enesi University of Oregon MB Jr. 6-1 The Dalles, Oregon
Jamie Houston ! University of Hawai'i OH Sr. 6-1 Huntsville, Alabama
Carli Lloyd University of California S So. 5-11 Bonsall, California
Kaylee Manns Iowa State University S Jr. 5-10 Topeka, Kansas
Gorana Maricic # University of Oregon OH Sr. 6-3 Subotica, Serbia
Tamari Miyashiro % University of Washington DS/Lib. Jr. 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawai'i
Tara Mueller University of Nebraska OH So. 6-0 Scottsdale, Arizona
Jessica Swarbrick #! University of Washington MB Sr. 6-1 El Dorado, California
Arielle Wilson Penn State University MB So. 6-3 Broadview, Illinois
Lexi Zimmerman University of Michigan S So. 5-10 Barrington, Illinois

2008 AVCA Division I Third-Team All-America
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown

Lori Baird University of Utah MB Sr. 6-2 Murray, Utah
Anna Cmaylo + Santa Clara University MB Sr. 6-4 Napa, California
Kanani Danielson University of Hawai'i OH Fr. 5-10 Ewa Beach, O'ahu
Jeanne Fairchild University of New Mexico OH Sr. 6-1 Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jessica Fine UCLA DS/Lib. Sr. 5-6 Tarzana, California
Lauren Gibbemeyer University of Minnesota MB So. 6-2 St. Paul, Minnesota
Jenna Hagglund University of Washington S So. 5-10 West Chester, Ohio
Danielle Hepburn Clemson University MB Sr. 6-2 Miami, Florida
Nataly Korobkova % Kansas State University RS/Opp. Sr. 6-3 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Ashley Mass Iowa State University DS/Lib. So. 5-8 Muskego, Wisconsin
Jana Matiasovska University of Louisville OH Sr. 6-6 Bratislava, Slovakia
Sammi McCloud Saint Louis University RS/Opp. Jr. 6-2 Columbia, Illinois
Kelly Murphy University of Florida S/H Fr. 6-2 Wilmington, Illinois
Julie Rubenstein Pepperdine University OH Sr. 6-3 Camarillo, California


* indicates 2007 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
^ indicates 2006 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
# indicates 2007 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
$ indicates 2006 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
@ indicates 2005 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
% indicates 2007 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
! indicates 2006 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
+ indicates 2005 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection

2008 Division I AVCA Freshman of the Year: Kelly Murphy, Florida, Setter/Hitter
2008 Division I AVCA Player of the Year: Announced at AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet on Dec. 19, 2008

[Hobnail_Boot]

^Wow...

[Red Machine D]

The desire to slap Skip Bayless every time he opens his gigantic, leathery gob is stronger than any coffee. I don't think I could get out of bed in the morning without seeing him on First Take saying something so profoundly retarded that it makes me want to shit myself in anger.

[Satan]

Funny, I feel the exact same way about you.

[ninja33]

anyone have an idea when they have to announce what the sunday night game for week 17 will be?

[The Dude]

should have already happened:

In Week 17, in order to ensure a Sunday night game with playoff implications, the decision to move the start time may be made on six days notice.

[ninja33]

there isnt one scheduled. I guess theyll wait to see what happens this weekend and do it on monday. Im going to the jets/dolphins game, so they should probably make that the night game.

[The Dude]

actually, yeah, bad math on my part, they have to do it by tuesday at the latest i think

[ninja33]

eh whatever. i just found out i got the tickets, so i was curious...and really want the extra 7 hours of pregame drinking

[Penguin Rick]

You can go a number of ways. Dallas/Philadelphia is most probable if they're both alive after this weekend. But NYJ/Miami and SD/Denver could be division titles.

[ninja33]

yea i know. im going to go ahead and assume that nbc will use brett favre to trump all of them.

If the jets lose, that probably means I'll have attended brett favres last game ever...twice!

[Penguin Rick]

That's probably a safe assumption, since Madden is on the committee for deciding which game is flexed.

[Smuckers]

Anyone watch the NCAA DI Volleyball National Semi's last night on ESPN2? Thats some volleyball for ya'll. Hope some of you watched it. It doesn't get much better than that. The Penn State/Nebraska match was the best match I have ever seen in person, period. I am in Omaha for the championships. 17,430 fans there (mostly Nebraska, obviously). That place was LOOOOOOUD. Great atmosphere. It's Penn State/Stanford for the NCAA title on Saturday, same two teams as last year.

[The Dude]

how many times do we have to tell you that NO ONE FUCKING CARES (at least not at gmf)

[Penguin Rick]

No, I'm pretty sure outside the parents, no one anywhere actually gives a fuck.

[Smuckers]

For over 17,500 people, someone must have a big family! :)

[Smuckers]

Penn State repeats as NCAA volleyball champs and goes undefeated at 38-0 and had an unbelievable record of 114-2 in individual sets played. They swept Stanford. Stanford lost in the final three years in a row now. Stanford's senior class is the first to go through without at least one NCAA title for the first time since 1992. This year's PSU team is basically considered to be the best volleyball team in NCAA history.

Jesus, the refs as the match were AWFUL. That set 2 was the worst score officiating ever. They should be ashamed. Good thing, it didn't change the match.

CONGRATS PSU!

[Hobnail_Boot]

The only way I can see anyone here at GMF caring about women's volleyball is if you post pics of their asses. I don't see no pics. You fail!

[Stax]

The only way I can see anyone here at GMF caring about women's volleyball is if you post pics of their asses. I don't see no pics. You fail!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2406/2546484650_8afd99b978.jpg

[nuclearjew]

I'm not sure there's an ass there.

[Hanover Fist]

Has anyone been watching the Dakar rally? That is without a doubt the gnarliest of all vehicle races. The crashes were pretty spectacular although I'm not sure if anyone has died yet this year. VW (Touareg)is dominating the car division with 4 of the top 5 spots at the moment, including an American in 4th. Robby Gordon is 17th currently and he is like 11 minutes back of the leader.
Todays stage is about 700km long from Jacobacci to Puerto Madryn in Argentina.

[Penguin Rick]

What the hell is the Dakar rally? Sounds like something I would be greatly interested in.

[The Dude]

Read about it here: Dakar Rally (http://www.justfuckinggoogleit.com)

[Morfin]

Reading Hanover's post, I was all set to ding him: Argentina? The Dakar rally goes from Europe to Dakar. Africa.

Google is my friend.

2008: Security as a priority

After the murder of four French citizens and three Mauritanian soldiers in the previous days before the start and answering the strong recommendation of the French Ministry for Foreign affairs not to go to Mauritania, the 2008 edition of the rally was cancelled. Terrorist acts identified by the French authorities threatened the rally directly. On the eve of the start, Étienne Lavigne was forced to announce the cancellation of the 2008 edition. The competitors gathered in Lisbon for scrutineering had to deal with the shock and saluted the responsible decision of the organisers. Three weeks later (Friday the 1st of February) a terror attack in the heart of Nouakchott confirmed the judiciousness of applying the precaution principle.Link (http://www.dakar.com/2009/DAK/presentation/us/r1_7-historique.html)

And so they shifted to South America due to terrorism. Innerresting.

[Hanover Fist]

After todays stage the top American (Miller) is 6th in the cars, 8 minutes behind and Robby Gordon has moved into 10th 13 minutes back.
Does anyone that follows WRC know why the top WRC drivers aren't competing in the Dakar?
Is it conflicting with WRC events or what? I notice they talk about a lot of ex-WRC drivers in the Dakar, but I don't recognize any current names competing. Although my knowledge of WRC drivers is limited to about 10 or so, so I could just be way off.

As of todays stage 27 riders in the bike class had dropped out and 2 in the car class. If you watch the videos you'd probably understand why. The truck class is pretty nuts to watch, they basically drive over anything and everything in their way to get to the finish.

8SIjdWp3o_A

[tony101]

this is turnin out great

[Hanover Fist]

The Dakar claimed it's first fatality today. A motorcycle rider died of a pulmonary edema while on the course and rescuers found his body leaned up against a tree. The leader of the car section was disqualified for missing checkpoints and a helicopter crashed (not sure if there were any fatalities in that yet)yesterday. If you are missing the Dakar, you're missing a crazy race.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2009-01-07-dakar-death_N.htm

[Smuckers]

Stanford's Foluke Akinradewo, Texas's Destinee Hooker, and Penn State's Nicole Fawcett and Christa Harmotto named Honda Award nominees for volleyball. Winner should be announced within the next week or so.

Foluke (hitting): http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/12/13/2004070854.jpg
Destinee (hitting): http://pictopia.com/perl/get_image?provider_id=240&size=550x550_mb&ptp_photo_id=642749
Nicole (hitting): http://www.collegian.psu.edu/photos/2007/12/06/15_220x440.jpg
Christa (#3): http://www.volleyballmag.com/archive/2008/therealdeal/3.jpg

[NOTKyle]

READ MY ARTICLEESSSS

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3831916

There is only one place I know that combines tiny balls, plastic cups and vats of beer. Besides Jose Canseco's house, that is.
It's a beer pong tournament. This is a sport that requires a steady hand, faulty hearing and a titanium liver. It's believed that 73% of all tuition money goes toward it.

[Stax]

Godddddammit I hate Rick Reilly.

[Datači]

So... Handball anyone?

[Jericho]

It really bums me out that I have to go so long in between Smuckers' volleyball posts

[Datači]

Everybody took pictures with that motherfucker Karabatić today. I would have kicked his ugly ass if there wasn't a bunch of his french teammates around.

[ADD]

Godddddammit I hate Rick Reilly.

I do as well, but it's actually a pretty cool sounding tournament despite they called it the wrong name and his sons were a team

[BiōHazard]

Top 50 greatest network announcers released

As picked by David J. Halberstam is a broadcast sports historian and sales and media consultant. He is the author of “Sports on New York Radio: A Play-by-Play History”

50 greatest network announcers
1. Howard Cosell 2. John Madden 3. Brent Musburger 4. Al Michaels 5. Dick Enberg 6. Curt Gowdy 7. Keith Jackson 8. Bob Costas 9. Jim McKay 10. Pat Summerall 11. Jim Nantz 12. Dick Vitale 13. Joe Buck 14. Marv Albert 15. Frank Gifford 16. Vin Scully 17. Mike Tirico 18. Chris Berman 19. Billy Packer 20. Dan Patrick 21. Greg Gumbel 22. Tim McCarver 23. Jon Miller 24. Mel Allen 25. Joe Garagiola
26. Bryant Gumbel 27. Don Meredith 28. Joe Morgan 29. Phyllis George 30. Ray Scott 31. Terry Bradshaw 32. Jack Whitaker 33. Al McGuire 34. Dick Stockton 35. Tony Kubek 36. Chris Schenkel 37. Mike Emrick 38. James Brown 39. Hubie Brown 40. Lindsey Nelson 41. Jim Simpson 42. Verne Lundquist 43. Jim Lampley 44. Ernie Johnson 45. Don Criqui 46. Tom Hammond 47. Bud Collins 48. Ken Venturi 49. Jim Gray 50. Harry Wismer


History will be made on Sunday when John Madden and Al Michaels call Super Bowl XLIII for NBC, as Madden will be completing a career cycle of sorts by working a Super Bowl for his fourth of the four major networks: CBS, Fox, ABC and NBC.
Madden has been slowing down some of late, taking a game off in 2008 with plans to do so again in 2009. NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol named Cris Collinsworth to be Madden’s successor-in-waiting, but so far Madden has refuted talk of retirement.
It’s hard to imagine pro football without Madden. His popularity and the NFL’s have been intertwined for 30 years, and any reference to the sport’s rise to dominance over that time has to credit the man who has sold the league with joy to generations of fans.
But where does Madden (and, for that matter, Michaels) place among the top sports broadcasters of all time? We attempted to answer that question by ranking the top 50 network broadcasters ever, based on several factors:
• Their contributions, trendsetting and pioneering.
• The measure, impact and length of their visibility.
• Their legacy and historical relevance.
• Their distinction in their on-air role.
• Whether they had national reach.
The broadcasters on our list are living and dead, come from eras past and present and have varying styles, but they all have one thing in common: They are as much a part of the way we experience sports as the events themselves.
Developing the rankings was an art, not a science, and it is meant more as a starting point than a finish line. But whether you prefer the bombast of Howard Cosell, the reserved dignity of Jim McKay or the warm sensitivity of Dick Enberg, it’s clear that televised sports have come a long way in the 62 years since the World Series first was aired on a network.
Boxing and baseball were the first sports to benefit from networks going national, and in the 1960s, networks began expanding their programming and beefing up on-air staffs. With the innovative and aggressive Roone Arledge in the boss’s chair at ABC Sports, the network created “Wide World of Sports” in 1961. It then capitalized on the burgeoning popularity of the NFL by launching “Monday Night Football” in 1970, which allowed Howard Cosell to trade barbs with his down-home sidekick Don Meredith, a breezy ex-Cowboys quarterback.
But it was the 1970s when sports exploded on TV. Because NBC had most of the top attractions, Curt Gowdy was the top play-by-play voice in America. At ABC, Cosell transformed sports television, using it as a forum to explore a variety of social and political issues. He developed a bond with Muhammad Ali, engaging the verbose young fighter in good-natured ribbing that made for compelling television.
Cosell defended Ali when conservative Americans were appalled by the fighter’s refusal to join the military as the Vietnam War raged. It was an issue that caused polarizing debates throughout the country. Regardless, the union of Cosell and Ali glistened, and the public responded.
In the 1980s, as Cosell’s welcome faded, Madden exploded onto the scene with CBS. Where Cosell was caustic, Madden was charming. Where Cosell’s tone was stern, Madden’s was jovial. He grabbed viewers’ attention with a football nomenclature not heard before by blending an infusion of coaches on the practice field, interacting tailgaters and bellowing fans. “Whap!” “Bang!” “Doink!” It was novel television.
But Madden, who won a Super Bowl as coach of the Oakland Raiders (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/oak/;_ylt=Ahw46Sk_cZxaB9Oc5RpaQ2TEnZF4), also had the football credentials to connect with his audience. His popularity surged, and he would find a new market with the next generation as the namesake of a popular line of football video games.
While Madden was the right personality at the right time for a burgeoning league, TV talent can thank three developments for the rapid growth in job opportunities in the 1980s and 1990s: the birth of ESPN in 1979, the breakup of the NCAA football monopoly in 1984, which opened up scores of telecasts each Saturday, and the creation of sports talk radio in 1987.
During the 1980s and 1990s, ESPN dramatically increased its rights holdings, eventually landing a piece of the NFL, the NBA and Major League Baseball, thereby eroding the dominance of the networks. It added one studio show after another, and soon there would be ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNews and ESPNU.
ESPN became what arguably is the biggest brand in sports, and its personalities became as big as the self-proclaimed “Worldwide Leader in Sports” itself. Chris Berman mixed inanities with substance. Dick Vitale passionately extolled the virtues of college basketball, helping propel the sport to great heights. Dan Patrick made “SportsCenter” must-see television every night, while Mike Tirico became as ubiquitous as the ESPN logo.
On ESPN and elsewhere, there have been announcers we imitate and those we mute. There have been the folks who graced our sets and others who polluted it. There have been those who have captured the drama and others who’ve spoiled it.
And in the end, we are left with 50 greats who were there for the indelible sporting moments that defined our times, and who shaped our memories of those moments with their magic behind the microphone

Fuck Joe morgan. Joe Buck.

And no charles barkley? WTF?!? lulz.

IMO I think Berman should be in top 5, but apparently jim nantz is better.

[BiōHazard]

and the followup:

Turn it off!: The 50 worst announcers in sports today (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/post/Turn-it-off-The-50-worst-announcers-in-sports-?urn=top,137612)

By Jay Busbee / Y! Sports Blogs (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs)
Admit it. As you've sat around watching a ballgame and heard yet another announcer try to shoehorn yet another awkward phrase into the game, you've wondered, how hard could announcing be? Sitting around talking sports for four hours? That's easy! Heck, we do that all the time at the wing joint for free!
Announcing is indeed easy to do, but extraordinarily hard to do well. You're broadcasting to an audience of millions, and you have to be both prepared and quick on your feet. The best sports announcers are storytellers, knowledgeable enough to add the perfect note to on-field action but also wise enough to know when to shut up and let the game do the talking. Guys like Vin Scully, Al Michaels and Keith Jackson are so good that you'll tune into a meaningless midseason game just to hear their voices. Yahoo! Sports has documented the top 50 of all time right here (http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=AphbHeuegXtGR_fZ_e.knPE5nYcB?slug=ys-top50announcers013009&prov=yhoo&type=lgns).
But then there are ... the other guys. Guys (and ladies, let's not be sexist) who seem to forget that we're not tuning in to the Super Bowl or the World Series to hear their voices. Guys who lose all perspective and decide it's their place to lecture us. Guys who use the ballgames as their personal soapboxes and slogan testing grounds. Guys who make you glad there's a mute button. Guys who, unfortunately, stand like snide bouncers to block our access to the greatest games in sports.
Now, let's be clear; we're not talking about announcers who simply lose track of the situation (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Oh-Fox-You-are-so-Fox-y-?urn=ncaaf,133303) or horribly mispronounce athletes' names (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/from_the_marbles/post/Video-NASCAR-botches-its-appeal-to-the-Lilith-F?urn=nascar,87141). No, we're focusing on the announcers whose entire public persona makes us want to kick a hole in our HDs. Deep breath, people, as we call out the culprits:
1. Billy Packer: The man who annually managed to turn the most exciting three weeks in sports, the NCAA tournament, into a visit to your cranky grandfather's house. Griped and moaned about everything from women in sports to mid-major invitations (this, just before George Mason reached the Final Four). All credit goes to coaches; all blame goes to players. Thankfully put out to pasture with Bobby Knight (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/The-weird-Vegas-wedding-of-Billy-Packer-and-Bobb?urn=ncaab,134371). Boy, there's a joyful combo, huh?
2. Chris Berman: The first of the truly cartoonish sports announcers, and still the worst. Has completely lost sight of the fact that he's the mouthpiece, not the attraction. His nicknaming habit, his "back-back-back," his chummy "look! I'm hanging with jocks!" repartee on set -- it all went stale in the ‘90s, and yet he still trots it out, week after numbing week. Go, Berman, and take Leather with you (http://deadspin.com/sports/chris-berman/he-could-go-all-the-way-166410.php).
3. Joe Morgan: Stubbornly refuses to admit that there's anything to the game of baseball more important than "heart." Laughs off statistics as irrelevant. Still carries grudges from his playing days. Like Bill Walton and other ex-jocks, views every player in comparison to his era -- and strangely enough, nobody ever comes close. Inspired one of the great sports blogs of this decade (http://www.firejoemorgan.com/), but has unfortunately outlasted it.
4. Tony Kornheiser: His schtick is that he's a regular joe in the booth there with Mike Tirico and Ron "Na-tion-al Foot-ball Leeeeague" Jaworski. And that schtick, frankly, stinks. I could hear schlubs talking about, say, how well their fantasy teams are doing if I go to the local sports bar. I like "Monday Night Football" when there's a real possibility the announcers might get into an on-air fistfight, and I can't see that ever happening -- or lasting very long -- when Kornheiser's involved.
5. Dick Vitale: A cartoon character, but less credible -- and more annoying -- than Spongebob Squarepants. Never saw a recruiting violation he couldn't ignore. Shameless Duke homer; the evidence is indisputable (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Announcer-Bromance-Dick-Vitale-and-Duke?urn=ncaab,137597).
6. Bill Walton: Alternates between gooey praises of his era and unhinged criticism ("That's HOOOORRIBLE") of anyone who doesn't, in his mind, measure up to Magic and Bird -- in other words, everybody. Carries a lot of bitterness around for an ex-hippie Deadhead.
7. Mike Patrick: A hyperbolic announcer who occasionally veers from praising or burying a team -- there's no middle ground -- to veer off on an unconnected rant. The most famous of these, of course, is his absentminded musing on Britney Spears (http://misterirrelevant.com/index.php/2007/09/23/mike-patricks-britney-spears-moment/) during overtime of a Georgia-Alabama game. Tip for you, Mike: when even the dog can tell you've written your "off-the-cuff" one-liners days before, it's time to switch up your flow.
8. Tim McCarver: This is an entry on a list about the worst announcers in sports. See, when you're making a list, you break it down into different categories and put spaces between the entries, so people can tell it's a list. Like this entry about Tim McCarver, Fox baseball analyst. McCarver analyzes baseball for Fox. And while he's analyzing baseball for the Fox network, he offers stunning behind-the-scenes insight, just like you're getting in this entry here. Which is part of a larger list.
9. Joe Buck: Alternating between dull and sanctimonious, Buck is a crotchety curmudgeon trapped in a younger man's body. When he's not draining the life out of the greatest moments in modern sports, he's lecturing us on the sad state of the NFL. Summed up in this fine moment of offense at Randy Moss:
10. Bob Costas, post-2000: A once-brilliant announcer who has devolved into caricature. Like Buck and the tweedy Bryant Gumbel, apparently sees it has his sworn duty to protect the sanctity of sport from the filthy tide of 21st century progress -- including, you know, those nasty sports blogs (http://deadspin.com/367883/bob-costas-thinks-youre-a-loser). One of those announcers who would love sports so much more if there were no unruly fans, surly athletes or double-dealing owners to muck it all up.
And the rest of the bunch:
11. Stuart Scott: Tired as this side of the pillow.
12. Tony Siragusa: A burly, sweaty, mouthy ex-jock? Why, who wouldn't want to hear from him?
13. Gus Johnson: Only when he's screaming five minutes into an ordinary game.
14. Paul Maguire: Always sounds like he's about to ask you to buy the next round, and he'll "get ya back next time."
15. Stephen A. Smith: Wants so, so badly to be the story, not cover it.
16. Troy Aikman: Like Robin Williams, you don't notice until later that he didn't actually say anything.
17. John Sterling Catch-phrases flop to the ground like beached marlin; "Thaaaaaa Yankees win!" is the worst victory cry ever.
18. Thom Brennaman Loves him some Tebow (http://larrybrownsports.com/college-football/thom-brennaman-tim-tebow-secretly-dating/4635).
19. John Madden Only when he's in worship-Favre mode.
20. Emmitt Smith: Is thoroughly masticated to receive this honor.
21. Johnny Miller
22. Lee Corso
23. Jim Gray
24. Merril Hoge
25. Digger Phelps
26. Tiki Barber
27. Darren Pang
28. Dick Stockton
29. Dick Enberg
30. Darrell Waltrip
31. Kelly Tilghman
32. Mike Francesa
33. Steve Phillips
34. Pam Ward
35. Shannon Sharpe
36. Skip Bayless
37. Warren Sapp
38. Lamar Thomas
39. Paul Allen
40. Ken Harrelson
41. Magic Johnson
42. Chip Caray
43. Dave Mishkin
44. Joe Theismann
45. Dan Dierdorf
46. John Kruk
47. Jenn Sterger
48. Larry Merchant
49. Michael Kay
50. Lou Holtz

The selection of the 50 worst announcers in sports is, of course, a highly subjective matter, and your mileage will almost certainly vary. Please list your own additions, deletions and adjustments to the rankings below.

[Hanover Fist]

Keith Jackson was probably my favorite. Vin Skully second.

Where the fuck is Chick Hearn and Phil Rizzuto?

[jax]

I can't stand Tim McCarver. Yankees this Yankees that. Any player on the field that was a yankee gets his praise. It is worse when he does yankee games

[Datači]

Watch the handball world championship final between Croatia and France

here http://www.atdhe.net/live-tv-2874.html

[Tromboner]

Watch the handball world championship final between Croatia and France

here http://www.atdhe.net/live-tv-2874.html

broken link mate

[The Dude]

probably because its a link to a live event...which was TWO days ago. probably.

[Hanover Fist]

Free style moto rider Jeremy Lusk died last night from injuries suffered at a X-Knights show in Costa Rica Saturday. Came up short on a backflip and basically landed on his head. Although the video looks like he broke his neck, he didn't, he died from swelling of the brain.

Video is gnarly. Accident is at 2:45
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5d3_1234274441

[zaphrodesiac]

lil wayne is on Around The Horn on espn2 right now

[Stax]

lil wayne is on Around The Horn on espn2 right now

!!!

[NOTKyle]

The ESPN NBA Trade Machine is so much fun to play with.

Stoudemire and Barbosa for Ben Gordon, Drew Gooden, and Nocioni?

SCORE!

[Kopek]

http://i40.tinypic.com/mhvtom.jpg

[NOTKyle]

I'm going to see how big of a victory swing I can get in just a two team trade.

GO

[Kopek]

Done and done.

http://i39.tinypic.com/15qx253.jpg

[NOTKyle]

22 ain't a thang, I'm going for 30.

[The Dude]

Does anyone read Sports Illustrated (the actual magazine)?

In this week's issue, my godmother (sports photographer) has a double page spread of lugers

[NOTKyle]

When I was a kid my mom made me choose between Sports Illustrated or ESPN the Magazine, because she wouldn't pay for both. I chose ESPN.


Now I don't read sports magazines.

[Da Raider]

When I was a kid my mom made me choose between Sports Illustrated or ESPN the Magazine, because she wouldn't pay for both. I chose ESPN.


Now I don't read sports magazines.

when I was a kid all we had was SI. And then Sport. And Sport went out of biz. And finally ESPN the Mag showed up.

I learned to read on SI.

[The Dude]

since as long as i've been able to know what it was my dad was getting si, like the baby jesus i too learned to read on SI

[jemeske]

I get ESPN the magazine like four times a year. I don't pay for it. I think its because I had insider for a while on the website, but I don't pay for that anymore either and still get access.

[CrazyCarl]

some website had ESPN for like $3.49 a year, so I signed up just so I could get Insider

[NOTKyle]

Read this if you liked Moneyball/basketball/female boobies (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?_r=2&ref=magazine&pagewanted=all&pagewanted=all)

[Penguin Rick]

Crazy, I am currently reading it while I decided to see what was up in GMF. Stop stalking me man.

[The Dude]

Read this if you liked Moneyball/basketball/female boobies (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?_r=2&ref=magazine&pagewanted=all&pagewanted=all)

you sonuvabitch, there were no boobies!

[Stax]

Yea, someone linked me to that article a while ago.

[bones12]

Just found out I'll be playing Torrey Pines (South) in a few weeks. Giddy-up!

[RockninPA]

Congrats Bones! It's no Bushwood, but I hear it's nice.

[CrazyCarl]

ABC is broadcasting Rugby? And the US has a national team?

[The Dude]

what do you think the most exhilirating experience in sports would be?

I think that saving a PK in a shootout to clinch the world cup would have to be up there.

[}{arlequin]

comeback from 0-3 vs. the yankees makes my top5 as well.

[The Dude]

zing!

[jemeske]

I finally have an ESPN streak over seven. I'm ridiculously bad at this game.

[Stax]

I finally have an ESPN streak over seven. I'm ridiculously bad at this game.

Trust me, nowhere near as bad as me. I got to 5 or 6 once, but I've been stuck below .500 for ages ever since I had like an 8 game losing streak, won one, then a 5 game losing streak.

[jemeske]

I think I was like 13 games under at one point, though I've had a decent record since probably mid February.

[Stax]

I think I was like 13 games under at one point, though I've had a decent record since probably mid February.

I'm riding another set of losing streaks recently. Have almost dipped blow .400 it's gotten so bad.

[jemeske]

Today I'm looking for Bradley over SIU and James Madison over William and Marry.

[ninja33]

I'm riding another set of losing streaks recently. Have almost dipped blow .400 it's gotten so bad.

really? I know its hard to put a streak together...but .400? Yikes.

My longest streak was 10, then I lost one and went on a 5 or six game streak afterward. Right now its five, six after james madison takes care of business.

[jemeske]

If my streak ends on womens basketball, I will not be pleased.

[Stax]

really? I know its hard to put a streak together...but .400? Yikes.

My longest streak was 10, then I lost one and went on a 5 or six game streak afterward. Right now its five, six after james madison takes care of business.

I always promise I'm going to get careful, then starting picking random golf a soccer I know nothing about.

[jemeske]

This is high school quality ball! How is there no 10 second rule in the womens game?

[jemeske]

Maybe these ladies just learned how to play today or something. Ridic.

[Penguin Rick]

So anyone know of any good sports blog? Not like Deadspin, which brings the lulz, but something that provides an analytical opinion and something with substance. Kind of like Fire Joe Morgan.

[mongo]

i miss fjm.

[Stax]

Me too.

www.fangraphs.com is good

[CrazyCarl]

I just go to baseball ones

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/
http://www.sabernomics.com/
http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/
http://baseballanalysts.com/

and B-Ref has a bunch of links of their blog
http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/

[NOTKyle]

Ummm

DUH (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/simmons/index)

[jemeske]

I'm 90 to 95% sure that they was some sort of massive conspiracy involving the refs, players, and coaches in the Texas-Colorado game to screw me out of my streak.

[TheImpossibleMan]

www.bugsandcranks.com
www.fangraphs.com
www.umpbump.com

All baseball.

[TheImpossibleMan]

FanGraphs is the shit. They are on BP's level of analysis, but it's free.

[Hanover Fist]

Premiere league darts just started on ATDHE.net


I'm sure everyone was waiting for that. I have become addicted to that site.


This is hilarious, the announcers sound drunk and the crowd sounds like 100,000 fans at a world cup soccer match chanting.

[NOTKyle]

http://cache-foo.deadspin.com/gawker/assets/images/11/2009/03/504x_custom_1237837303203_schillincansecobetterima ge.com

lol @ espn

[Penguin Rick]

That's the sort of respect ESPN shows Curt Schilling I guess.

[NOTKyle]

http://kellerthrows.blogspot.com/2009/01/from-vault-life-and-times-of-k-smoove.html

This guy started a blog under the name KevinDurant and just blogged during the time K-Smoove was going through the Draft process. Apparently a WNBA reporter actually asked Durant about it at somepoint.

Read all four entries.

[Lone Wolf]

Holy Crap! Somebody hired Isiah Thomas to coach a college team!

I wouldn't hire Isiah Thomas to run a doughnut shop let alone coach another team, but I sure am glad somebody did. I just wish he went to a bigger school than FIU, so I can revel in his greatness easier.

[Hanover Fist]

I thought this was a pretty interesting post on another site, it discusses the procedure in MLB in case several players are killed or maimed from a team. It was in reference to Nick Adenharts death and the initial reports that the others in the vehicle were teammates and not friends. I had wondered myself what the league would do in that situation and I believe I now have my answer.

How would Major League Baseball have handled the situation if the Angels' bus accident had been more serious?

I contacted a representative of the MLB Players Association regarding baseball's policy if such a catastrophic event did occur. This representative said that baseball does have a plan, it's called the "Disaster Plan", and it is part of the Major League Rules. (note: when doing research for this article I found that MLB considers the plan "confidential", so I won't disclose the representative's name). The "Disaster Plan" is covered in the Major League Baseball rules under "Rule 29" and states that a qualifying event is one which at least five players from a team's active, disabled or suspended lists during the regular/post season or six players during the off season are killed, dismembered or permanently disabled. The team would be classified as a "Disabled Club".

The procedure governing how such a disaster is conducted is outlined within 4 major points and after consultation with the Players Association;

1. Mourning Period. During this mourning period, a team's games are either postponed or cancelled.

2. Continuation of Disabled Club's Season. MLB determines whether a Disabled Club is able to continue the regular season and post-season after taking into account the date of the occurrence, the standing of the Disabled Club at the time of the occurrence, the Disabled Club's wishes and the integrity of the game of baseball. The Commissioner and MLBPA jointly resolve all scheduling issues that may arise from prolonged interruptions or cancellations of the Disabled Club's season.

3. Restocking Draft (also known as a "Rule 29" draft). If the Commissioner decides to hold a Restocking Draft, each Major League Club will submit a list of 5 players who are made available for selection by the Disabled Club. If the Restocking Draft is held in response to an in-season occurrence the five players will be available from other teams' Active List. If the occurrence happens during the off-season, the available players come from the other teams' Reserve List. The positions of the five available players will include one pitcher, one catcher, one outfielder, one infielder and a fifth player from any position. The position requirement can be revised based on the playing positions of the players lost by the Disabled Club. The players provided will have no less than 60 days Major League service time (as of August 31st of the season preceding the Restocking Draft). Players with No-Trade rights, either contractually or because of service time, can not be made available unless the player waives his No-Trade rights. Additionally, each club must warrant that each player made availalbe is physically fit, not on a Suspended, Restricted, Disqualified, or Ineligible List and is capable of playing immediately upon selection by the Disabled Club.

4. Other Relief. The Commissioner and MLBPA may agree to provide additional relief to the Disabled Club such as additional selections in the Rule 4 or Rule 5 drafts, priority waiver claims, or modification of post-season roster deadlines.

Thankfully this procedure has never had to be used, and hopefully never becomes an issue. However, it is interesting to know that Major League Baseball would be ready.

[Jericho]

Who the shit gave Joe Buck his own show on HBO???!!

[ADD]

Someone who doesn't think my HBO subscription is important

[jemeske]

It's only high school, but still, this is pretty cool.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090616/SPORTS08/90616029
A perfect game (in which all the batters were struck out) followed by a no no.
How do you follow a perfect game in high school baseball?

If you’re Kole Klocko of Norwalk, you throw a no-hitter.

Klocko was two base runners shy of matching the perfect game Pittsburgh Pirates draftee Matt Dermody threw in the first of two 10-0 victories over South Tama on Monday night.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/graphics/adlabel_horz.gif


Dermody, a 26th-round selection, struck out all 18 batters he faced in the 6-inning opener. Klocko’s sterling follow-up ended after five innings.

Norwalk coach Chad Weidmann said it was the first no-hitter for both pitchers.

“I have never seen that before,” Weidmann said Tuesday of the back-to-back feats. “As far as the majestic of last night, it was very thrilling.”

[Genius]

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