Bull Durham is considered by many to be on the short list of the greatest sports movies.  With the exception of the fact that Tim Robbins can't throw, the movie is perfect.  Today phrases from the movie are still repeated on diamonds across the country.  Now Kevin Costner and Ron Shelton are talking about a sequel.  Robbins and Susan Surandon will be owner's of a minor league team and Costner will be the manager of the team.

Sequels on regular movies are tough enough to pull off, but it is hard to live up to the standard the Bull Durham set.  I think this one would be best left on the shelf, but Costner has a knack with baseball movies. 

 My list of best sports movies would include Bull Durham, Hoosiers, Remember the Titans, For Love of the Game, The Natural, Field of Dreams and Miracle.   

Continue reading "Bull Durham II"

For the last few day the Red Sox looked like a mirror image of the Dodgers.  Dying and quickly being pushed out of post season play.  A finally, a kid from Woodland, Ca battles his way to a two out RBI single and the Red Sox wake up.  Ortiz temporarly breaks out of his slump at the right moment and breathes life back into Red Sox nation.  JD Drew has found a home in Boston and calmly belted one over the right field fence to get the Sox back to within one run.  Drew looked very comfortable at the plate while working Howell to a 3-1 count.  You knew he was going to hit the ball hard somewhere. And he did and Boston will go back to Tampa.

Will Beckett be able to continue the magic on Saturday.  My money is on Beckett.  He has always been a big game pitcher and I think that he will.  He take the mound with that Texas attitude that led Florida to a World Series title before. 

Continue reading "Wow"

As a baseball fanatic, how refreshing is it that on an NFL sunday, baseball is center stage as the Boston Red Sox attempt to complete an amazing return from the dead, again.  The team with a history of choking is now on the edge of becoming one of the greatest comeback teams in history.

Hurt or not, Josh Beckett again showed why he is one of the greatest big game pitchers of all time.  5 solid innings and left the Red Sox in position to win.

Tonight is Jon Lester's turn to show the nation what type of clutch pitcher he is.  These are the types of games that legends are made from.  Lester and Matt Garza will get their opportunity tonight.

Anyone know what Manny is doing this weekend? 

Big surprise, Bonds claims collusion by MLB baseball owners.  What a great lesson this is to America's youth, act like a spoiled brat your whole career and then when they finally say enough is enough, cry fould.  It's becoming the American way.  What ever happened to there's consequences to your actions?  Could Bonds have helped a team this past year?  Of course he could have but at what cost.  More than likely, he would have been on his best behavior.  Could he have made a difference for a playoff contender.  Probably not.  All National League teams are out, because he can't or won't play defense anymore.  As a designated hitter for an American League team.  The only team that he possibly could have made a difference for was the Yankees, they could have used him as a DH for a part of the season and maybe that gives them enough to catch the Red Sox for the wild card spot.  But I doubt it.  Yankee problems go a lot farther then their hitting.  Unlikely he makes much of a difference to get someone to the next level.  He's a short term player, no help to the teams rebuildings.  Only one or two teams in contention, that didn't make it to the playoffs, could have used him and unlikely he helps.  If anything, the San Francisco Giants should have signed him for September, let him make a farewell tour of the league as a pinch hitter for the Giants.  He could have retired as a Giant with a ceremony fitting the player he was with the Giants.  Then rode off in the sunset.  Instead he chooses to leave the game in a cloud.

Continue reading "Sunday Morning"

In June, a Bulldog started off as an underdog and over the course of 3 weeks became a Wonderdog.  Is it any surprise that a former Bulldog led the Rays to their first World Series appearance, in Bob Gibson like performance.
 
In June we celebrated the longest long shot of all as they worked their way through a gauntlet of nationally ranked teams on their way to their first National Championship, the Fresno State Bulldogs.  The Bulldogs were only allowed in the tournament because they won the WAC season ending tournament.   Then had to overcome early series deficits in what seemed like every series.  To finally reach the Mecca of college baseball, Omaha, Nebraska.  A team that captivated a country with their character, determination, and grit.  Will we ever forget Steve Detweiler and his dislocated thumb?  Of course this was the most personally satisfying underdog story for me, I had waited 23 years for a Bulldog Championship. 

Continue reading "Year of the Underdog"

Who is going to win the World Series, the Phillies or the Rays?  The best thing about this series is that I can be fairly neutral as to who wins and just root for some good ole' fashioned baseball.

So far in game one, we got a jim dandy game going, 3-2 Phillies in the 5th.

The Rays come in as a reincarnation of the '69 Mets. The Improbable Dream.  But they field a team of young talented stars of the future.  Pena, Longoria, Upton, Bartlett, Garza, Price and others are just beginning what they hope will be a long career in Major League Baseball.  The Phillies have a little more age to them, although they are a young team as well, just not as young. 

I'm hoping the Series goes 7 games so that we can stretch this season out for a little while longer.  Especially considered the dire prospects of the Warriors, Kings, Raiders and 49ers for this year.

Continue reading "Game One"

After another scary roller coaster ride on Wall Street last week, we at least have the weekend and sports to bring back some sanity to our life. Unless of course your motto is "Go Blue" and you hail from the great state of Northern Ohio or as most of you know it, Michigan.  Who says there's no such thing as karma?

Into a weekend full of baseball and football, can life get any better.  Friday nigth we started off with week 2 of the MLL season in San Andreas, Calaveras vs Amador.  Calaveras rolled to an easy victory.  The dissappointing aspect of the game was not the game itself, but the seeming decreasing participation in football.  Amador fielded a squad of less then 25, Calaveras a power house team in the league for years, doesn't have a much bigger squad.  The quality of play in the MLL seems to be a lot lower this year, which is probably a result of less participation by all of the capable athletes in the schools.

Continue reading "Another Sunday Morning"