Friday, August 28, 2009

One Shining Moment(s) Volume 3

Another edition of some flashbacks for you Minnesota sports fans...

Ernest Nzigamasabo: You were highly entertaining. It wasn't what you did on the basketball floor though, it was the urging (by my dad and I) of Grandpa O'Rourke to pronounce your name after he downed a scotch or two. I never heard a name pronounced a hundred different ways (until I started listening to Bert Blyleven call Twins baseball games). He had such difficulty remembering your last name correctly that he would then screw up your first name by calling you Eddie or Eric. I guess you had to be there.

Rick Reed: The Rick Reed deadline deal was the first "contender" deal we made where we were the actual contender in the trade for the "win now" effect since the early 1990's. However, that trade never really panned out as planned. I guess that's what you get for trading for a scab.

Esera Tuaolo: I always wondered if the failed ESPN series "The Playmakers" (you know you watched it...it was at ESPN's climax) had Esera in mind as the influence on the gay character. I'm not aware of too many professional football players coming out publicly. Of course when you sing the National Anthem in a high-pitched soprano voice...people will start to wonder.

Charles Shackleford: Even the ten die-hard Timberwolves fans may not remember the original "Shack's" brief tenure here. He worked the media better than Shaquille, for example this great quote during his NC State days: "I can shoot with my left hand, I can shoot with my right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious."

Chris Darkins: I don't know about you, but I love football players that wear the visor on their helmet. Name me someone you absolutley hate that plays or has played football collegiate or professional that wore a visor. I bet you can't do it...even Dan McGwire pulled off the visor act, and looked cool doing it.

Lindsay Whalen: She is single-handedly responsible for the only legitimate Final Four banner that the University of Minnesota can hoist up to the rafters in the Barn. Many didn't follow this season as closely as I did. But, she came back from a wrist injury just in time for the Big Dance her senior year. From there, she brought women's basketball madness to the Twin Cities. Yet, she became so popular nationally by the Final Four run that the Lynx had no shot at her in the draft. Imagine that...the Lynx actually had a good enough record the previous year not to be able to have a high enough draft pick to select the savior of this town for women's basketball. It's called the Minnesota Lynx curse around these parts.

Juan Berenguer: I received my first and only "major league" baseball from him when he flipped it up to my dad by the bullpen after the Twins secured a win. I also wanted to bring up how he has started an ongoing tradition in Twins baseball. The Overweight Latino Call to the Bullpen Presents: Juan Berenguer, Rich Garces, Eddie Guardado, Dennys Reyes and Jose Mirajes.

Chad May: I'm so tired of some of the Vikings fans' thinking that John David Booty is ready to take over the reigns. What possible signs have you seen from him? Obviously, Tarvaris wasn't ready and he's looked leaps and bounds better in pre-season than Booty...it's because Booty is white, right...? Well, Chad May had a stellar college career, much like John David Booty as well as hundreds of other white successful quarterbacks that just don't materialize into the pro game.

SBG

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tubby Time

Tubby Smith is loved so much in Minnesota...that we dread when every off-season comes along. We can't stand the rumblings and rumors that he may be leaving our revived and beloved program for the following:
1. more money,
2. better facilities,
3. better recruiting base,
4. better weather
5. more money or
6. a simply more prominent basketball school not named Kentucky.

Yet, Tubby has stayed the course with us and we can't be more excited.

However, Tubby and company have a difficult decision to make with new recruit Trevor Mbakwe. Trevor is accused of an assault charge to a woman down in Miami. Latest developments on this case have Trevor's lawyer trying to delay the trial until after the upcoming basketball season. The lawyer's reasoning is because all of his witnesses (Trevor's teammates from Miami Dade Community College) will be all over the country playing basketball with different teams if the trial dates stay as originally planned.

From an outsider's perspective/opinion on what the school and program should do (that doesn't have any details, other than what the newspapers have printed)...I would suspend him from all athletic activities until there is a resolution in the courtroom. He can attend classes, and he can even keep his scholarship (up until the ruling, if not favorable). The school and the program need to make a statement on the standards of this program that is now the focal point of the University...which is all because of Tubby Smith.

Now if Dan Monson was still the coach...my opinion might have changed drastically on this matter...but I have faith in Tubby to move forward regardless of who is on the roster.

Another random note...Gophers website did a Q&A with Trevor
http://www.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=927 ... his guilty pleasure is watching Law & Order...the irony is hilarious.

SBG

Monday, August 24, 2009

You're Off The Mark

The quote below is from Mark Schlereth on the Favre signing with the Vikings:

"That book was integrity and ethics. That's what that book was, and we're going to throw it away. And we're going to sell our soul for what we think is a championship," Schlereth said on the air. "And let me tell you: … You show me the last time that any NFL franchise was one player away from winning a championship. They just needed that one player. I'm gonna tell you something. That doesn't work. That may sound good in theory, but in practicum that doesn't work. And I guarantee it's not going to work in this situation."

Mark...let me brief you on some items you are clearly missing, because it appears that you haven't been following the Vikings lately or ever for that matter:

1. First off, you bring up "integrity and ethics" and something called a "book"...wasn't this "book" burned and/or at least singed a bit by acquiring Jared Allen (a two-time DUI offender at the time)...or how bout drafting Percy Harvin smoking grass and failing a drug test right before the NFL combine that determined his fate and future. Let me guess...you didn't have anything to say publicly at this time about those acquisitions.

2. "And we're going to sell our soul..." You're damn right we would sell our soul...we'd probably even give up our NBA team too along with our soul. The Vikings have lost four Super Bowls. However, the pinnacle of our failure came when we choked against the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game during the 1998 campaign. We had the best damn team in the league and nothing to show for it. We would've dismantled your Broncos in the Super Bowl...along with one your knees for good measure.

3. So no team is ever one player away from winning a championship? This does happen occasionally. As Howard Bryant pointed out on an article on espn.com http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=bryant_howard&id=4409317...Deion Sanders has done it twice with two different teams (49ers and Cowboys). Also, he points out the irony of Terrell Davis landing in Broncoland which helped Denver catapult for back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 1998 & 1999.

Couple random rants that are semi-related to the above quotes...

Why don't these former players turned "TV analysts" just cover their own positions or same and/or similar positions. So the content of what Mark Schlereth should be commenting on would be the offensive and defensive line. I don't care what Mark thinks of Brett Favre or Ochocinco...it's irrelevant, because it's not factual or based on anything fact worthy. I'd rather hear what Trent Dilfer has to say about Brett...ok, I'm lying...but, at least it would be more believable.

Favre's best part in the introductory press conference with his newest team...he had a question directed towards how his legacy will be perceived now with the latest comeback attempt. His response, "First off, it's MY legacy..."

SBG

Thursday, August 20, 2009

"Dude looks likes a lady..."

My wife came across an article on an 800 meter word class "woman" sprinter/runner from South Africa. The "golden girl" is being investigated on what gender she truly is beneath the spandex uniform. Considering watching "little" (I use this term ironically, because it really wasn't little) Visanthe Shiancoe pop onto our television screens during a locker room interview, I figured this wouldn't be that hard to hash out with a simple eye test to decide if this runner was a male or female. But, as I was thinking about some of my favorite local teams...a lot of these athletes have attributes that fit the opposite sex more than their own sex:


1. R(h)on(da) Gardenhire - Does your face really have to turn red like an embarrassed school girl during every game in the dugout? I know you have to wear a uniform and all, but it's not like you're doing anything to cause that much blood to flow to your cranium.

2. Mike(ah) Miller - You bug me on so many visual levels: the hair, the prancing around (even though you were supposed to be the #3 scorer for us), the nice small talk you have with the refs during games and of course your mouthguard.

3. Brett(a) Favre - The waffling back and forth drives me nuts (don't get me wrong, I love having him on the Vikes). Women do this all the time though, and the funny thing is...they are never satisfied with what they decided on...Brett(a) will probably also regret his latest comeback at some point in his life.

SBG

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

I'm not a fan of Brendan Harris

I don't care for Brendan Harris. He irks me for the following reasons:

1. Speed up your routine at the plate. Do you really need to Chuck Knoblauch me to death during every at-bat? You're not a good enough hitter to get away with that. We go to the ballpark/watch TV to watch Mauer and Morneau...not a Brendan Harris lamaze breathing routine between every pitch of your at-bat.

2. I've played fastpitch softball with 60 year-olds that turn a quicker and better double play ball at 2nd base than you. What is your dilemma? It's your stinking footwork...how else can you explain Casilla, Tolbert, Casilla, Punto, Tolbert and Casilla getting playing time over you at 2nd base, while all are batting below .200 while playing that position.

3. You were packaged with Delmon Young.

4. Explain your career to me...seven teams in eight years in the big leagues. The weird part is that you break in with Montreal. Next stop is the Cubs. You go back to Washington (which was the formerly the Montreal Expos). Then you go to the Reds. Then you manage to go back to Washington (which once again used to be the Montreal Expos club). We always kid that Gardy has some secret relationship with Nick Punto...what the hell did you have going on with Montreal/Washington?

5. Naive local fans crave for you...but, everyone knows that your nothing but a career utility infielder...that can't play 2nd base.

SBG

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

SBG's "Jottings/Little Birdie says..." 8/4/09

I really hope Horatio Caine and the rest of CSI Miami can somehow get Trevor Mbakwe off this assaut charge down there...

Tarvaris Jackson gets hurt. Shawn Bradley gets dunked on. I get drunk and watch sports. This is not exactly news...it's just stating the obvious.

Myron Medcalf...who blogs about the Gopher's hoops squad on Star Tribune, may be the worst blogger out there. In fact, he inspired me to start my blog. You can either thank him or curse him at your leisure.

Does the press (I use that term loosely) really need to Twitter the result of every pass play that Sage throws during Training Camp down in Mankato? I don't think Twitter was invented to keep us posted on Sage Rosenfels...just my opinion.

Wolves, Rockets and Cavaliers get fined for leaking the upcoming schedule too early. Really, David Stern...? You're not the NFL...your league doesn't generate interest about your stupid upcoming schedule. It's six month's long and we only get to see the stars of the Eastern Conference once on our home court. Big deal. Why don't you just take some 1st round draft picks away from us while you're at it?

Here comes the annual Minnesota Lynx collapse this year that pushes them out of the playoff picture.

Remember when Tim Brewster agreed to less money so he could get "top" assistants with the money leftover? I initially thought this was a great idea, but does this mean he can forever avoid job scrutiny if all he does is hire and fire new assistants based on his team's struggles year in and year out?

Tubby Smith had a Father/Son (overnight) Basketball Camp this past weekend. We heard Don and Dan Monson were at the camp to learn the basic concepts of basketball.

Another reason to hate Ray Edwards: He is a runway model. http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_12986317 Do all of us a favor and go AWOL during camp like Dimitrius Underwood. We don't need you...I'd rather have Brian Robison in at defensive end anyways.

Minnesota Wild will not make the playoffs next year.

SBG