Sunday, February 28, 2010

An overtime thriller, the future of golf, and the #1 ranked college baseball team

The VT-Maryland basketball game last night was delayed by a water main break. After this game, VT's hopes of making the Big Dance may have gone down the drain as well! In a double overtime thriller, the Terps held off the Hokies and stunned the white out crowd at the damp Cassell Coliseum. Not even an extra stanza of "Enter Sandman" could save the Hokies as they just couldn't make enough plays to get it done. During the post-game press conference, Seth Greenburg was uncharacteristically quiet, his voice hoarse and calm. Games with N.C. State and GT await. Looks like VT has some work to do on that NCAA Tournament resume!

The Waste Management Golf Tournament being held out in Arizona this week has been a ratings success! The improving games of Anthony Kim and Rickie Fowler give golf a chance to move forward without Tiger. Couple that with the 16th hole, the fan friendly par 3 that always has a racous crowd, and you've got a great weekend going. Doesn't hurt that Phil made the cut in his home state!

The University of Virginia's baseball team moved to the top of the college baseball world this week. The HOOS are currently ranked #1 and have looked dominant so far this season. Coach Brian O'Connor has a very good staff, a seasoned team, and the talent to not just make it to Omaha this year, but to win it all. If I'm the Athletic Director, right now I'm trying to figure out a way to sign this man to a long term contract. The proof is in the pudding and this man can flat out coach!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

An undefeated season.........OH YEAH!!!

The Glenvar Vipers girls basketball team capped off an undefeated season tonight with it's most thrilling win of the year! Tied at 17 with 20 seconds left, Taylor Dishon stole the ball, dribbled the length of the court, put up a shot, and missed. Then, Mary Katherine grabbed the rebound with two seconds and put it back up to make the game winner as time expired!! I jumped off the bench, the parents jumped up, the kids were jacked....it was one helluva scene! I now have a ton of gray hair after tonight. I think these kids took a few years off my life, but let me tell you, it was worth it!!!

Banquet is next and I'm going to be sad to bring this chapter to a close. It was time consuming, it was at times nerve racking, but I'll never forget this team and these kids, worth every second of time!! Did I mention the game was in Salem, playing a Salem team, with Salem refs giving them every call..........and we still BEAT them!! :)

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Coach London and staff invade Hokie Country!!

The meet and greet with new UVA football coach Mike London was well worth the time! He had his entire staff on hand to answer questions, a far cry from the single voice philosophy of the previous regime! His enthusiasm is infectious, his charisma obvious, and his coaching staff exudes confidence. He covered everything from uniforms to changing the current locker room culture. The crowd was enthusiastic but, as usual, the subject of the evil empire located in Blacksburg was the pink elephant in the room. The first question asked was when will victory against VT be possible......a great question and right now for many loyal HOO supporters...the only question!

This question was a perfect one for London to handle and he chose only to say that this team would compete and he was very confident they would show up to play. Let's be honest - right now, if you beat VT, you win the ACC, plain and simple truth of the matter. I came out of tonight's meeting as energized and optimistic as I've been about Virginia football in many years. If these men impacted me that way, just think of how they will impact recruits!!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Computer Woes

I'll have to beg for your understanding - our computer caught the flu at home, and I am unable to access my blog from work. Therefore, sports announcing will be on a hiatus until we are able to get some NyQuil into the home pc. Apologies to all my readers!

Friday, February 19, 2010

The Cleveland-Denver game last night was sweet....Tiger's big press conference!

TNT has an excellent announcing crew, especially the guys in the studio. But last night their thoughts weren't needed. The play on the floor spoke for itself! King James and Melo had an epic duel, both players making fabulous play after fabulous play! It's a shame that somebody had to lose this overtime thriller, but when Melo faced King James with a sweet J, the game was over. Sure, King James had a shot at the buzzer, but he slipped and his rhythm was off forcing the shot wide. Have no fear Cleveland fans, your club is legit and the King will lead you to the promised land!

Today at 11am Tiger Woods will have a press conference updating his status. The timing of his press conference during this week's Accenture Match Play Championship has brought the ire of both players and fans alike. To those folks I say sit down and watch and listen. This man makes golf better, regardless of what he does off the course. He screwed up, he's in treatment, he's a human being and he made a mistake, possibly repeatedly! But if you think the ratings for the live golf will trump his press conference, you're sadly mistaken. We are listening Tiger, spill it all and let's move on!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

HUH....... I drank what???

I want to say I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a few days. I've been beaten down at work, my son isn't feeling or sleeping well, and my wife isn't either. Basically, things suck right now, and I'm convinced that the light at the end of the tunnel is, in fact, the oncoming train!! VT is going to make the NCAA's, UVA has lost four in a row, Tiger still isn't playing golf, no new Peyton Manning commercials, damn.....I'm feeling lousy!!! And then.........the thought that tomorrow is Daddy Friday makes it all go away - just me and my cookie monster, enjoying one another and seeing that he is why I put up with stuff!! I love you, my Sydney! Daddy will do anything for you!! Now, if only Daddy could get a job as a sports reporter!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Well that was a miserable sports Saturday!!!

My 5 month old son Sydney really helped me with my blog today. He summed up both the VT vs. UVA basketball game and the NBA's all-star Saturday night with two body functions, he raspberried the former and pooted the latter!! He put both in the proper perspective for me. Days like today are why it's good to have other things to occupy your time! But the sun will come out tomorrow, the birds will sing again, and Sydney will have more body functions to set Daddy's priorities straight!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Hoos and Hokies round 2

Tomorrow night in Blacksburg, Virginia, the Wahoos and Hokies will square off in a key ACC showdown. Uncle Fester, I mean, VT head coach Seth Greenburg will bring his usual snarl to the court, working the officials for favorable calls that the Hokies always seem to get in every sport they play. I shouldn't call Seth Uncle Fester; I'm sure it's not his fault. What I really dislike is the school he coaches for. I have a very healthy disdain for all things Hokie. Always will, and it's a damn shame more UVA fans don't share my sentiment. Quite frankly, the fan base doesn't seem as passionate as they should be - it's very frustrating to admit that VT is more rabid overall, but they are. Winning does that. Coach London and Coach Bennett need to make the base believe again. A win tomorrow night would go a long way towards bringing that belief back!!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Football season's over.....but how about some spring football predictions and can anyone stop the Cleveland Cavaliers?

I just saw the ESPN pre-spring predictions for the ACC. They have VT listed as number 1, and UVA listed last. Hmm, I hate both of those predictions.....but that's all they are, predictions! I'm hoping that things will not turn out that way. I'm hoping that the Wahoos will rise up and end the Hokies undefeated season in November this year......one can dream!! One more thing, FSU is going to win the ACC this year, just wait and see!!

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Shaq this off season and there was much talk of a Championship run. Well, of course there was........but there would have been even without Shaq because of LeBron James, the best player on the planet. Sorry, Kobe!! What's that you say? LeBron still hasn't won a Championship? Hmm, if you compare his age to that of Michael Jordan at the same time in his career, you'd realize LeBron is right on schedule. Kobe won a Championship earlier than LeBron you say? Hmm, yes he did..because of SHAQ!!! Well, maybe this talk should have been about Shaq after all!!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Fantasy Football Championship Rings, Sterling Silver or Gold? And the Implications of a potential strike...

This football season, I was fortunate enough to win two different fantasy football leagues. One was a work fantasy football league and the other was an adult-league softball fantasy football league. This is the second championship for Scuba's Crew in the softball league. To commemorate the inaugural championship in the softball league, I purchased a gold championship ring from a well-known vendor. The great debate, now, is should I commemorate the second championship from this same league, or, since no win will be quite as special as the first, do I just let it go and keep bragging rights?

To commemorate the first championship in the work league, I will be purchasing a sterling silver ring. This is a must have, as I need to be able to go to work, raise my ring finger on my right hand in the air, and say "The Champ has entered the building!"

This whole topic has me wondering about the collective bargaining agreement in the NFL Players' Association. This would be the first potential work stoppage in the history of fantasy football. The ramifications of the strike would be magnified by the number of people who are outraged by the prospect of, not only no football, but also no fantasy football. Think about it...think about the revenue generated, for and by, fantasy football. Add that to the millions already at stake in contracts, etc., and you tell me how important it is for the players and the owners to reach an agreement.

Roger Goodell, you are on the clock!

Monday, February 8, 2010

One bad pass......and all of a sudden Peyton Manning can't play football!! and Monica Wright tears it up on the hardwood!!

The day after the interception that turned the tide in the favor of the Saints, everybody and their brother is dissecting what went wrong for Peyton Manning. Well, it's called being human. Perhaps you've been guilty of it yourself from time to time! He made one bad pass; unfortunately that's all it took to turn a sure Hall of Famer into the poor man's Craig Morton! For all of those bashing Peyton today, his stats being magnified and spun to show his "incompetence" in the post-season, remember that this man is just that, a man!! I hope these haters keep it up - the measure of a man is how he responds when things are going poorly, not when they're going well! My money's on Peyton. Yes, the same ten bucks the Saints won me last night on that one poor pass thrown by the greatest quarterback of all time!! Keep your head up Peyton, keep your head up!!

Monica Wright tore up the Maryland Terrapins this evening, which isn't headline news if you've followed the career of UVA's proud senior. But in case you haven't noticed, this squad lost their starting point guard early in the year, a blow that would cripple most teams. But when you have a Senior leader the caliber of Wright, you realize what strong leadership can overcome! I'm hoping the ACC beat writers will vote her player of the year. I know she isn't from the big four down in North Carolina, but there is no argument that she is hands down the best player in the ACC!!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

The Super Saints!!!

They always say good guys finish last. Not tonight!! Drew Brees was flawless as the Saints won the Vince Lombardi Trophy and, more importantly, they won me ten bucks!! All joking aside, the Saints won this for the City of New Orleans and their fans. This was a very sweet win for humanity in the end!! I'm very impressed with the owner of the Saints - after seemingly having no clue how to run an organization for several decades, he wised up, made the right hires, and, more importantly, got out of the way and let them do their job!! Well done, Tom Benson! Well done, Saints! Now let's come to an agreement so there isn't a strike season on the horizon. Players and owners need to get on the same page ASAP!!

Super bowl Prediction, a salute to Roger Federer, Nascar's opening Salvo, and why golf sucks without Tiger!

Well, it's Super Sunday and I'm trying to decide who's going to win the game. Hmm, I'm in an office pool that doesn't take the winner into consideration so that's a good thing. However, I do have a side bet where I took the Saints and 3 points. My prediction is based on my monetary needs, so I'm going Saints 31 to 28 over the Colts. The commercials will be good, but because of the economy, they won't be as effective for the advertisers as they normally would be. One more prediction, if Peyton Manning is in a commercial, it will make you laugh. Great writers are guaranteed for great quarterbacks!!

Roger Federer won the first grand slam of this calendar year down under in Australia. This was his first slam as a dad. The last man to do this was a personal favorite of mine, the great Andre Agassi! One other thing these two greats have in common - they both won Rolland Garros (the French Open), something that Pete Sampras could never do. Sorry, Pete, it's the truth!

Nascar opened up it's season with the shootout last night. Kevin Harvick was the leader of the pack and I'm sure his fans, if he has any, are very excited about that. But let's be honest, until someone competes with Jimmie Johnson the ratings and popularity of Nascar will continue to diminish. I'm thinking more short tracks would be a smart move - so would taking off the restrictor plates, but we all know that won't happen!

Has anybody seen Tiger Woods lately?? I mean other than in an SNL skit!! The latest ratings for this weekend's tournament are awful. The only vibe generated was by a comment by a lesser golfer calling Phil Mickelson a cheater. By the way, Phil, you're not a cheater and golf would be damn lucky if there were more golfers of your class on the course right now! Tiger, when you come back, I want you to dominate. Golf needs you, and more importantly, you need golf!! Simply put, I haven't watched one event since Tiger's demise, and if average joe's like myself aren't watching, golf is in a world or trouble!!

I'll have a post-game post tonight discussing today's big game....uh oh, just checked the odds and the spread moved...wonder if I can get that adjusted in my 3 point bet!!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Mustapha Farrakhan's wicked jam against N.C. State..

For those of you ACC fans not paying attention, UVA sits in a tie atop the standings and for those who enjoy a good posterization on a jam, check out the link below....OUCH babe!!! Shouldn't have challenged the Nation like that!! Click on this link for more!!

A moment of Silence.....

I'd like for each of my loyal followers to take a moment of silence in honor of the great "Bullet" Bill Dudley. He passed away yesterday morning and although the younger generation of Wahoo fans aren't familiar with his exploits on the football field, I can assure you he was "the man!" May he rest in peace in Heaven and watch his beloved Wahoos from high above Scott Stadium.

You will be missed #35!!!

Recruiting, the Super Bowl, and weather related basketball problems...

Florida signed the nation's top recruiting class this week and the Gators and Coach Urban Meyer should be proud. However, USC and Lane Kiffin also pulled in a top ten class, mostly by poaching kids previously committed to UT. The tactics used by Kiffin trouble me tremendously, but what else would you expect from this guy. The real shame is that the young men who have committed to Kiffin and USC gave him their word. Let's hope Lane sticks to his and stays at USC. He owes it to the players and while he's at it he should probably straighten up and fly straight. If you're going to be a leader of young men you should conduct yourself accordingly.

While on the subject of recruiting, I have to pay my respects to VT head coach Frank Beamer and his staff. I'm a true blue Wahoo fanatic and despise VT, but I have a tremendous amount of respect for what Coach Beamer has done for his program. Fortunately, the University of Virginia has hired Mike London and the battle for the Commonwealth Cup will soon bring the rivalry back to National prominance as both programs will reside in the top 25 in the next three years.

Will Dwight Freeney play in the Super Bowl??? IT DOESN'T MATTER!! The Colts have Peyton Manning, and if you've paid any attention to pro football the last ten years you'd know this guy's pretty good. Unless Phil Fulmer (Manning's "Coach" at UT) shows up to coach the game, there's no way Peyton isn't holding the trophy this Sunday! And, oh, by the way, Peyton Manning should host SNL once a month and request the writers from his Sprint commercials - freakin' hilarious!!

On a sad note, looks like my Glenvar Vipers girls basketball team will be snowed out of practice and a game this weekend. So far the only thing that has slowed our high powered offense is the weather.....Let's hope once the weather breaks our opponents will be well rested for the challenge that awaits them!!