It looks like I have some competition for my dream wife.
A friend pasted me this link yesterday informing me that Playboy readers think that Erin Andrews is the hottest sportscaster on TV.
Tell me something I don't know, Hef & Co.
By now my recent surge of puppy love has been well-documented by none other than yours truly. But I was still holding out hope that the rest of you creeps hadn't noticed my former Florida-Gators-basketball-dancer-turned-tame-bachelorette was the hottest thing in sports since the Mitchell Report.
Too bad for you all that I've already met her and told her of my intentions to be her co-worker at ESPN someday, although I promise not to get the company sued.
What I did leave out though were my marriage plans. It's safe to assume she doesn't read my blog, so the element of surprise will be as strong as my heartbeat when I fall to one knee.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Gone, Jay G., Gone
The Orioles cut Jay Gibbons today to get their roster to the opening day maximum of 25 players.
I didn't see this coming with the delay of his season-opening 15-game suspension. It looked like the break Gibbons would need as the MLB considers granting amnesty to past substance abusers while putting a new system in place.
Now, not only have the Orioles released their second-longest tenured and most productive (although admittedly inconsistent) player over the past few seasons, but they will also owe him $11.9 million.
The $10+ million salary difference is worth eating to keep a younger player (utility infielder Scott Moore) who may be more useful this year and down the road.
The real question that remains though is, is this the end of the housecleaning? Already two of Baltimore's three best players from last year (Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard) have been traded for a boatload of unproven prospects and chic pick closer George Sherrill, and now one of the biggest bats in the lineups (relative to the rest of the order) has been released for nothing in return but a little relief from the distractions his appearance on the Mitchell Report was causing.
Considering Brian Roberts was Gibbons' best friend on the team, I think the rumor of him being traded to the Cubs will become a reality very soon. Along with Tejada and Bedard leaving, that would mean that the top three players from last season would be out of Baltimore with Nick Markakis, Jeremy Guthrie and (gasp) Adam Jones leading the Orioles in their pursuit of finishing better than third place before Peter Angelos sells the team to Cal Ripken, Jr.
While the Orioles have been unloading, the other four teams in the AL East have been reloading. Consider it a huge accomplishment if the O's finish higher than fourth and/or within 25 games of first place this season.
I didn't see this coming with the delay of his season-opening 15-game suspension. It looked like the break Gibbons would need as the MLB considers granting amnesty to past substance abusers while putting a new system in place.
Now, not only have the Orioles released their second-longest tenured and most productive (although admittedly inconsistent) player over the past few seasons, but they will also owe him $11.9 million.
The $10+ million salary difference is worth eating to keep a younger player (utility infielder Scott Moore) who may be more useful this year and down the road.
The real question that remains though is, is this the end of the housecleaning? Already two of Baltimore's three best players from last year (Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard) have been traded for a boatload of unproven prospects and chic pick closer George Sherrill, and now one of the biggest bats in the lineups (relative to the rest of the order) has been released for nothing in return but a little relief from the distractions his appearance on the Mitchell Report was causing.
Considering Brian Roberts was Gibbons' best friend on the team, I think the rumor of him being traded to the Cubs will become a reality very soon. Along with Tejada and Bedard leaving, that would mean that the top three players from last season would be out of Baltimore with Nick Markakis, Jeremy Guthrie and (gasp) Adam Jones leading the Orioles in their pursuit of finishing better than third place before Peter Angelos sells the team to Cal Ripken, Jr.
While the Orioles have been unloading, the other four teams in the AL East have been reloading. Consider it a huge accomplishment if the O's finish higher than fourth and/or within 25 games of first place this season.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Romo blooms at Azalea
Tony Romo may not have made it to a Super Bowl yet, but he's in the mix to do something more impressive (considering he's a pro football player eight months out of the year) this weekend in an amateur golf tournament.
He's only four shots back at the prestigious Azalea Invitational in Charleston, S.C. and is in the company of some amateur golf giants: Trip Kuehne, famous for losing to Tiger Woods in the 1994 U.S. Amateur Final, as well as for winning the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur; Kevin Tway, winner of the 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur; Trent Leon, one of the nation's top college golfers on an Oklahoma State squad that is equivalent to USC football in this era.
Leon and four others shot a two under par 69 yesterday while Romo fired a 73. Most tournaments set the Thursday pins up easier than the other three days so I fully expect Romo to fall back from his tie for 19th.
As someone who only missed qualifying for the U.S. Open Sectionals by four shots last year this isn't a shock that once again he's competing with some of the elite amateurs in the world.
If Romo wins, maybe he should just invest all of his money into golf and go for the PGA Tour. At least there he can take as much time as he wants to set the ball on the tee.
He's only four shots back at the prestigious Azalea Invitational in Charleston, S.C. and is in the company of some amateur golf giants: Trip Kuehne, famous for losing to Tiger Woods in the 1994 U.S. Amateur Final, as well as for winning the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur; Kevin Tway, winner of the 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur; Trent Leon, one of the nation's top college golfers on an Oklahoma State squad that is equivalent to USC football in this era.
Leon and four others shot a two under par 69 yesterday while Romo fired a 73. Most tournaments set the Thursday pins up easier than the other three days so I fully expect Romo to fall back from his tie for 19th.
As someone who only missed qualifying for the U.S. Open Sectionals by four shots last year this isn't a shock that once again he's competing with some of the elite amateurs in the world.
If Romo wins, maybe he should just invest all of his money into golf and go for the PGA Tour. At least there he can take as much time as he wants to set the ball on the tee.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Free ride for Davidson students
Kudos to the Board of Trustees at Davidson College for funding a student trip to see their Wildcats play against Wisconsin tomorrow night in the Sweet 16.
Personally I'd pay a lot of money to see Stephen Curry play tomorrow night, especially against one of the top three defensive teams in the country (probably 1. UCLA 2. Wisconsin 3. Washington State.)
This isn't unheard of though. The Student Government association and other administration-driven organizations enabled the Mount St. Mary's students to travel to Dayton with bus transportation for $50 when the Mount faced Coppin State in the play-in game. Then just three days later they provided tickets for $35, a 15 percent discount, for any student who could find his or her own transportation to Raleigh for the game vs. North Carolina.
It's no coincidence that Davison and the Mount are two of the six smallest NCAA Division I schools in the country and their schools are so supportive of their students. I'm sure that just like at the Mount, Davidson is very close-knit and self-supportive.
Rare are the times when the Davids(ons) of the world like us (a 16 seed) and the Wildcats (a strong 10) can enjoy the NCAA tournament, let alone a run into the second weekend. Congratulations to Davidson and the Mount for realizing this special opportunity and making it easier on your students to experience it.
Personally I'd pay a lot of money to see Stephen Curry play tomorrow night, especially against one of the top three defensive teams in the country (probably 1. UCLA 2. Wisconsin 3. Washington State.)
This isn't unheard of though. The Student Government association and other administration-driven organizations enabled the Mount St. Mary's students to travel to Dayton with bus transportation for $50 when the Mount faced Coppin State in the play-in game. Then just three days later they provided tickets for $35, a 15 percent discount, for any student who could find his or her own transportation to Raleigh for the game vs. North Carolina.
It's no coincidence that Davison and the Mount are two of the six smallest NCAA Division I schools in the country and their schools are so supportive of their students. I'm sure that just like at the Mount, Davidson is very close-knit and self-supportive.
Rare are the times when the Davids(ons) of the world like us (a 16 seed) and the Wildcats (a strong 10) can enjoy the NCAA tournament, let alone a run into the second weekend. Congratulations to Davidson and the Mount for realizing this special opportunity and making it easier on your students to experience it.
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