I think it's more the "commentators curse" with our discussions here...
I don't think Barkley is ever "talented" in the golf aspect... Perhaps in the WWF/boxing aspect...
Sports talk (formerly NBA talk)
by udosuk » Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:43 pm
So the great pitching is making a comeback! After a day with 7 shutouts, we had a no-no against the team previously did it 2-1/2 years ago... And also the Mets got a complete game shutout too... With Shawn Green, the player you mentioned, going 6/8, 4 runs scored, 3 RBIs in a doubleheader...
I think it's more the "commentators curse" with our discussions here...
I don't think Barkley is ever "talented" in the golf aspect... Perhaps in the WWF/boxing aspect...
I think it's more the "commentators curse" with our discussions here...
I don't think Barkley is ever "talented" in the golf aspect... Perhaps in the WWF/boxing aspect...
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by Hud » Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:21 am
Brandon Webb was magnificent last night. I only saw the last 2 innings though. I was hoping he'd get it done in less than 90 pitches, but he hit a batter with 2 strikes on him in the eighth. I read that the game took 1 hour, 54 minutes. I suppose they didn't sell much beer at that game.
I didn't see Maria win her match, but it sounded like she was also overpowering.
Now we have to find someone else to help into the winning column.
I didn't see Maria win her match, but it sounded like she was also overpowering.
Now we have to find someone else to help into the winning column.
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by Hud » Thu Sep 14, 2006 2:05 pm
There's been a little bit of news about the Suns in my paper lately. Mike D'Antoni had arthoscopic knee surgery recently and is on crutches. He shouldn't be slowed down very much. Gilbert Arenas seems to be blaming Mike for being snubbed for the World Team. He promised to score 100 points in the 2 games his team plays against the Suns this season. D'Antoni said he might have to score more than that to win. Amare keeps talking about how great he'll be this season. I wish he'd keep quiet about it and just keep rehabbing. D'Antoni said the Suns would be better than last season even without Amare. There seems to be some kind of feud going on between Amare and Shawn Marion. I hope it's just a healthy rivalry about who will be the big scorer this season. Remember Michael Olokandi who was the #1 pick of the Clippers 5 years ago? Anyway, he's looking for a job now, and is trying to land a reserve job with the Suns. I find that amazing.
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by udosuk » Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:21 am
Thanks for the gossiping about the NBA...
Anyway, in the women's basketball world championship in Brazil, there is something spectacular going on too...
Australia was due to play Lithuania in the first game, but because of a flight scheduling muck-up, Lithuania was forced to travel through a certain African country (forgot which)... But then the Brazilian airport officials refused the Lithuanian team admittance before they took some yellow fever vaccines injections... Which ultimately cost them 5 hours and made them forfeit the game with a 2-0 scoreline to Australia...
Of course, Australia being the outright #2 team in the world (behind USA), is expected to beat Lithuania and everybody not wearing the red-white-blue outfit... Still, when all the goal percentage are calculated at the end, I won't be surprised if it turns out to be to the Lithuanians advantage and to the Aussies disadvantage... Talk about irony here...
Anyway, in the women's basketball world championship in Brazil, there is something spectacular going on too...
Australia was due to play Lithuania in the first game, but because of a flight scheduling muck-up, Lithuania was forced to travel through a certain African country (forgot which)... But then the Brazilian airport officials refused the Lithuanian team admittance before they took some yellow fever vaccines injections... Which ultimately cost them 5 hours and made them forfeit the game with a 2-0 scoreline to Australia...
Of course, Australia being the outright #2 team in the world (behind USA), is expected to beat Lithuania and everybody not wearing the red-white-blue outfit... Still, when all the goal percentage are calculated at the end, I won't be surprised if it turns out to be to the Lithuanians advantage and to the Aussies disadvantage... Talk about irony here...
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by udosuk » Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:13 pm
Brandon Webb has pitched another complete game today (and who did he beat? none other than B Kim
)... I think he's a hot Cy Young favourite... But D-back is probably not going into the playoffs...
Chien-Ming Wang of the Yankees, who's due to start 2 days ago, hopefully would play tomorrow... With Johan Santana blowing his game today (he was lucky not to be charge with a loss), I think Wang could have a chance, for us to see 2 sinker ball pitchers winning Cy Young in the same season...
If you think my sinker stinks, wait till you see my stinker sting you where it stings...
-- a pitcher from a non-English background trash talking to a slugger from another non-English background...
)... I think he's a hot Cy Young favourite... But D-back is probably not going into the playoffs...Chien-Ming Wang of the Yankees, who's due to start 2 days ago, hopefully would play tomorrow... With Johan Santana blowing his game today (he was lucky not to be charge with a loss), I think Wang could have a chance, for us to see 2 sinker ball pitchers winning Cy Young in the same season...
If you think my sinker stinks, wait till you see my stinker sting you where it stings...
-- a pitcher from a non-English background trash talking to a slugger from another non-English background...
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by Hud » Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:19 pm
The first 3 hitters on the Rockies got base hits and they scored a run. Webb and the catcher talked and Webb said "it's not going like last game is it?".
D-backs won't make the playoffs, but I like the idea of them going to a youth movement ala the Marlins.
D-backs won't make the playoffs, but I like the idea of them going to a youth movement ala the Marlins.
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by udosuk » Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:41 am
Talk about commentator's curse... Wang pitched badly and lost 5-2 to the now no-good BoSox... There goes his Cy Young hope...
Who do you think should be the AL MVP, Jeter or Ortiz?
The D-backs & the Rockies are playing on a marathon now... I hope it lasts for 27 innings or more...
Who do you think should be the AL MVP, Jeter or Ortiz?
The D-backs & the Rockies are playing on a marathon now... I hope it lasts for 27 innings or more...
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by Hud » Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:50 pm
I just saw the box score of Wang's Game. Hopefully, that one game won't kill his MVP chances, but I think a pitcher from another team will win it. I can't come up with names, but several pitchers in the AL are having terrific years also.
I watched some of the D-backs game last night but got totally disgusted when they put in a socalled "closer" in the 9th. Why do modern managers insist on having a certain pitcher to pitch the 9th inning? If I had a pitcher who sailed through the 8th easily, I'd let him try to finish the game. This happens all the time to this team, and I'm sick of it. One way I like to view it is what are the chances of putting in 4 or 5 pitchers and having each one do a great job?
As far as AL MVP goes, I think I'd go with Jeter, but I read that there's an anti-Yankee bias on MVP selections at times. If the BoSox hadn't folded like the proverbial taco, I'd like Ortiz. There's also an anti-designated hitter bias for MVP though.
I watched some of the D-backs game last night but got totally disgusted when they put in a socalled "closer" in the 9th. Why do modern managers insist on having a certain pitcher to pitch the 9th inning? If I had a pitcher who sailed through the 8th easily, I'd let him try to finish the game. This happens all the time to this team, and I'm sick of it. One way I like to view it is what are the chances of putting in 4 or 5 pitchers and having each one do a great job?
As far as AL MVP goes, I think I'd go with Jeter, but I read that there's an anti-Yankee bias on MVP selections at times. If the BoSox hadn't folded like the proverbial taco, I'd like Ortiz. There's also an anti-designated hitter bias for MVP though.
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by udosuk » Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:23 pm
The current front runner for the AL Cy Young award is Johan Santana of the Twins. Jon Garland (ChiSox), Wang (Yankees) & Roy Holliday (Blue Jay) are other candidates... All 4 of them left their games with a deficit in their last starts... At the moment Santana is very likely, because he is leading in wins, ERA, Ks, IPs and unless he loses all his remaining starts badly and Garland or Wang won all theirs, the award is Santana's... (The old guns like Randy Johnson, Kenny Rogers, Curt Schilling & Mike Mussina stand a remote chance but not very likely...)
BTW the NL Cy Young should be fought between Brandon Webb & Chris Carpenter (Cards)... Considering the batting lineups I would probably bet on Webb (which is not a nice complement to the D-backs team as a whole I'm afraid... )
About the closer issue... There is a reason why teams pay millions for a pitcher just to get the final 3 outs... For relievers with a short term pitching endurance, a great 8th inning doesn't guarantee the 9th inning would be as easy (of course we also need to consider the batting rotation)... There are also many examples where a manager sticks with a pitcher who pitched a great 8th but get bombarded in the 9th (it happened last year in the playoffs but I forgot who)... Let's put it like this: if I'm a team owner, I'd consider trading the closer if he keeps blowing saves... But it'd be the manager I'd think about firing if he keeps using relievers for long pitching periods and losing games... You wouldn't want to manage my team, would you?
BTW the NL Cy Young should be fought between Brandon Webb & Chris Carpenter (Cards)... Considering the batting lineups I would probably bet on Webb (which is not a nice complement to the D-backs team as a whole I'm afraid...
)About the closer issue... There is a reason why teams pay millions for a pitcher just to get the final 3 outs... For relievers with a short term pitching endurance, a great 8th inning doesn't guarantee the 9th inning would be as easy (of course we also need to consider the batting rotation)... There are also many examples where a manager sticks with a pitcher who pitched a great 8th but get bombarded in the 9th (it happened last year in the playoffs but I forgot who)... Let's put it like this: if I'm a team owner, I'd consider trading the closer if he keeps blowing saves... But it'd be the manager I'd think about firing if he keeps using relievers for long pitching periods and losing games... You wouldn't want to manage my team, would you?
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by Hud » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:12 pm
Yeah, Santana's the guy I couldn't think of. He should get some additional exposure since the Twins will probably catch the Tigers in the AL Central.
As far as closers go, the D-backs really don't have any one dominant pitcher to use in the ninth. I recall the game in last years playoffs where a pitcher was left in too long. I'm not sure if it was last year, but I recall Pedro Martinez being left in and getting shelled at the end of a game. Maybe it was last year; I just can't recall (as usual).
I haven't totally lost it though. I was just watching the D-backs and one of the announcers was talking about Jacques Cousteau (for some reason), and mentioned that his son, Philipe is following in his footsteps. I told my wife that I thought Philipe had died in a plane crash, and Wiki agreed. I wish I could call and set him straight.
As far as closers go, the D-backs really don't have any one dominant pitcher to use in the ninth. I recall the game in last years playoffs where a pitcher was left in too long. I'm not sure if it was last year, but I recall Pedro Martinez being left in and getting shelled at the end of a game. Maybe it was last year; I just can't recall (as usual).
I haven't totally lost it though. I was just watching the D-backs and one of the announcers was talking about Jacques Cousteau (for some reason), and mentioned that his son, Philipe is following in his footsteps. I told my wife that I thought Philipe had died in a plane crash, and Wiki agreed. I wish I could call and set him straight.
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by udosuk » Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:10 am
A heck of game in LA tonight! Down 5-9 entering the bottom of 9th, the Dodgers hit 4 solo HRs in a row to tie it. Then down by 1 in the bottom of 10th, Nomar Garciaparra hit another 2-run walkoff HR to win it... Considering what was at stake, it must be one of the most exciting game in the season...
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by Hud » Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:19 pm
That had to be something to see. I'm sure half of Dodger Stadium had left when it happened. Dodger fans are notorious for trying to beat the LA Traffic. Too bad it wasn't in the playoffs. I read that it's only the fourth time in BB history that 4 hr's were hit in a row.
I can't expect you to follow all US Sports, but last Saturday, Oklahoma played Oregon in college football. Some referee calls were so bad late in the game that gave it to Oregon, that there's talk of wiping the game from the books. I've never heard of it happening though. College Football is getting out-of-hand and some players actually switch schools in order to get more playing time (and exposure).
I can't expect you to follow all US Sports, but last Saturday, Oklahoma played Oregon in college football. Some referee calls were so bad late in the game that gave it to Oregon, that there's talk of wiping the game from the books. I've never heard of it happening though. College Football is getting out-of-hand and some players actually switch schools in order to get more playing time (and exposure).
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by udosuk » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:14 pm
After that dramatic game, the next night Dodgers got whacked by the Pirates & the Padres redeemed themselves against your D-backs... I think this shatters the common illusion about "momentum" and proves that luck is a token thing which after we spend it in one evening we'll have to pay it back in another (i.e. the "karma" theory )...
Checked out the college football saga... I think it's just a couple blown calls which got blown up unnecessarily... Never like the image of any college stud playing (American) football anyway...
What do you think of the chance of an Australia-USA Davis Cup final? Of course, at the moment it's much more likely to be Argentina-Russia... But you never know...
)...Checked out the college football saga... I think it's just a couple blown calls which got blown up unnecessarily... Never like the image of any college stud playing (American) football anyway...
What do you think of the chance of an Australia-USA Davis Cup final? Of course, at the moment it's much more likely to be Argentina-Russia... But you never know...
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by udosuk » Fri Sep 22, 2006 4:39 am
Oh my... USA lost to Russia in the women's world bball championship... I mean these days it's not too surprising to see their men's team lose, but the women's team has gone more than 12 years unbeaten... And I think it's safe to say that most people expect the team to break that streak would be Australia... Well let's see how it goes with the Australia-Russia final...
PS:
And the Cy Young favourites from both leagues (Santana & Webb) lost today. Well these days it seems all the contenders (teams or award-chasing players) are vulnerable down the stretch... I wouldn't put the curse on Wang again by predicting his chances tomorrow...
Tonight is a big night on sport for us Sydneysiders... Our home Australian Football team, the Sydney Swans, will be fighting for a spot in the Grand Final... Same goes our national men's tennis team for the Davis Cup final... Our Opals (women's basketball team) already passed the test... And I wonder if they're happy that they've outperformed USA in a tournament for the first time ever, but I suspect they'd much prefer beating that nemesis themselves...
USA lost to Russia in the women's world bball championship... I mean these days it's not too surprising to see their men's team lose, but the women's team has gone more than 12 years unbeaten... And I think it's safe to say that most people expect the team to break that streak would be Australia... Well let's see how it goes with the Australia-Russia final...PS:
And the Cy Young favourites from both leagues (Santana & Webb) lost today. Well these days it seems all the contenders (teams or award-chasing players) are vulnerable down the stretch... I wouldn't put the curse on Wang again by predicting his chances tomorrow...
Tonight is a big night on sport for us Sydneysiders... Our home Australian Football team, the Sydney Swans, will be fighting for a spot in the Grand Final... Same goes our national men's tennis team for the Davis Cup final... Our Opals (women's basketball team) already passed the test... And I wonder if they're happy that they've outperformed USA in a tournament for the first time ever, but I suspect they'd much prefer beating that nemesis themselves...
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