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Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sports from around the World 2/26/2012
http://www.smh.com.au/sport Austalia
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ United Kingdom
http://stockholmnews.com/default.aspx?CID=5 Sweden
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports.html Japan
http://thenews.com.mx/index.php/Sports.html Mexico
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/ Canada
http://www.jpost.com/Sports/Home.aspx Isreal
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/index.htmll China
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/sphome/4719148.cms India
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/sport Taiwan
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/sports Phillipinnes
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/sports/index.html Vietnam
http://www.koreaherald.com/sports/SectionMain.jsp Korea
http://thestar.com.my/sports/ Malaysia
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Sport/Sport_20120225.html Singapore
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ United Kingdom
http://stockholmnews.com/default.aspx?CID=5 Sweden
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports.html Japan
http://thenews.com.mx/index.php/Sports.html Mexico
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/ Canada
http://www.jpost.com/Sports/Home.aspx Isreal
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/index.htmll China
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/sphome/4719148.cms India
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/sport Taiwan
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/sports Phillipinnes
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/sports/index.html Vietnam
http://www.koreaherald.com/sports/SectionMain.jsp Korea
http://thestar.com.my/sports/ Malaysia
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Sport/Sport_20120225.html Singapore
The John Clayton Show 2/25/2012 ESPN 710 Seattle
From the NFL Scouting combine Indianapolis Indiana USA
Hour 1 http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=&a=39522
Hour 2 http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=&a=39524
Hour 3 http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=&a=39528
The Hall of Famer presents his weekly show
Hour 1 http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=&a=39522
Hour 2 http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=&a=39524
Hour 3 http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=&a=39528
The Hall of Famer presents his weekly show
The Harvard Analytics Students collective
http://harvardsportsanalysis.wordpress.com/
A few new excellent columns Linsanity and the declining slam dunk contest
A few new excellent columns Linsanity and the declining slam dunk contest
Friday, February 24, 2012
Shannon Drayer Provides the very Latest in Seattle Mariner coverage
By Shannon Drayer
We finally get to see some baseball today. Mariners vs Mariners, but good enough after a long off season. Most of the regulars are in the lineup and we will get to see Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker pitch innings 1-3 for the Mariners 2 team. Should be fun to watch.
Michael Saunders is in the lineup playing center and batting 9th for Team 1. When he looked at the original lineup on the door in the clubhouse however it read "Sanders 8". "Oh yeah," he laughed. "I was all over them for that."
Saunders is happy to be in the lineup regardless of spelling. He and others know that this is the first chance to make an impression.
"Wedge made it very clear that these games count from day 1," Saunders said. "Even though it is just an intersquad you have to take it seriously. You will be evaluated at the get go."
For the first time in his career Saunders used a hitting coach (who just happened to be the brother of Josh Bard) in the off season. We have seen Saunders struggle at the plate every time he has had an opportunity at the big league level and despite the struggles his attitude has always been great. It is no different now. He believes in what he is doing and while it would seem that it would be easy for him to get discouraged, he doesn't. It is good to see.
Moving on...I chatted briefly with Miguel Olivo this morning and realized that he and Jesus Monterohave something in common. They were mentored by the same former catchers early in their careers. They both worked with Tony Pena and Joe Girardi. Montero obviously worked with the two while with the Yankees. Olivo is a relative of Pena's and worked with him starting at a very young age. Girardi was his manager when he was with the Marlins. He said he learned a lot from the pair. So Olivo and Montero speak the same catching language I asked? "No, not exactly," laughed Olivo...
I saw a sight I have never seen in the Mariners clubhouse this morning. A clubbie going around with an extra fast food breakfast sandwich looking for a taker. He finally had to leave it in the break room. In years past you would see bags of breakfast sandwiches in the clubhouse. Not so much anymore. Rather, there is an omelette bar set up in one corner and plenty of other healthy options in the back. One person who appreciates this is Justin Smoak who adapted an entirely new diet this off season.
"Mostly meats and vegetables," Justin said. "I actually like the vegetables now."
This was a shock as I vividly remember a hilarious conversation between Smoak and Alex Liddi in the dugout last year. They were debating which was better. Italian or Southern cuisine.
"Your food is terrible," said Liddi. "You put gravy on everything."
"In Italy they eat their vegetables cold," countered Smoak. "Horrible."
While Smoak loves the Southern cooking he has been careful to avoid it to the extent of which he put his mom on notice.
"I had to actually make sure she knew I was eating right when I went to her house because moms love to cook, especially country cooking the old way, they cook with everything they can think of. She was excited about it though and believe me, she was the first to let me know if she thought I was gaining a little weight."
Good work mom!
NFL Seahawks Pick 12th by virtue of Coin flip
Seahawks will pick 12th
INDIANAPOLIS – The Seahawks hold the 12th pick in the first round of April’s NFL Draft after losing a coin flip with the Chiefs here this morning.“We’ll survive with 12,” general manager John Schneider said after the flip. “We would have liked to have picked 11, but 12 is right there.”
Good players will be available with either pick, as was the case in 2007 when the 49ers got linebacker Patrick Willis at No. 11 and the Bills selected Marshawn Lynch at No. 12. Lynch, of course, was traded to the Seahawks in 2010 and has led them in rushing the past two seasons.
The Seahawks selected cornerback Marcus Trufant with the 11th pick in 2003.
The Seahawks and Chiefs each finished the 2011 season with 7-9 records, so the flip was needed to determine which team would select first.
The “flip” wasn’t your tradition heads-or-tails, call-it-in-the-air exercise because the “coin” had a Seahawks logo on one side and a Chiefs logo on the other.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Chicago White Sox Spring training opens
Ventura already seasoned on saying little
February, 23, 2012
Feb 23
4:49
PM CT
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Only a short while after Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams said he’d rather have manager Robin Ventura talk about the changes that will take place under a new coaching regime, the first-year manager continued to keep mum on what’s to come.
If Ventura has become known for anything through the early throes of his managerial career, it’s his penchant for keeping extremely tight-lipped when it comes to divulging any news related to competition for playing time and personnel decisions.
Then again, Thursday was just the start of spring training as pitchers and catchers went through their first workout, so maybe Ventura simply hasn’t made up his mind on several issues.
When asked who will take the mound on Opening Day, Ventura said, “I’m not going there yet. We’re going to plan for that here in the next week or two before we get into games and kind of have a better idea about that.”
And when it comes to the closer role Ventura cracked, “that’ll be the guy that finishes the game. So we’re not getting into any of that right now. I want to be able to talk to them, see what we have and then go from there.”
Thursday was another day of firsts for Ventura, who donned a White Sox uniform for the first time since he was a player, addressed the team on the field and attended his first pitcher-catcher meeting. Dealing with pitchers, Ventura said, is where he’s thankful to be able to rely on veteran pitching coach Don Cooper. Ventura also threw a short batting practice on Thursday, something he’ll likely add to his everyday duties.
“I feel that’s just part of being involved and seeing certain things,” Ventura said. “At the end of my career playing I actually threw BP and that’s when I knew I was done -- when they ask you to throw BP while you’re a player you know you’re done. But it’s just a different perspective. You can see things when you throw BP.”
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
More David Locke with Rockets Coach Kevin McHale
HALL OF FAMER KEVIN MCHALE PAINTS TOUGH PICTURE ON BIG GUY DEVELOPMENT
The Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale is one of the greatest big men the NBA has ever seen. His post game was comparable to the fundamental game of Tim Duncan with an array of moves that were unstoppable.
Tonight before the game I took the opportunity to ask him about developing big men like Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. The Hall of Famer didn’t paint a pretty picture.
“They are real raw but they are young. Honestly and to be truthful, they end up being causalities of coming out and not being able to develop. It is one thing to be developing against other 18 and 19 year old your development gets stunted when Dwight Howard is the one you are developing against.”
McHale continued and explained why so many of the young bigs never completely get all out of their talent.
“You have to have success at some point. That is why too many guys come into our league and don’t have any success and they become rebounder and shot blockers and they become specialty guys. Where had they stayed somewhere for three or four years and got good tutelage and got bigger and stronger and got their offensive games going. You don’t get a lot of confidence going against Dwight Howard.”
McHale coached Jefferson in Minnesota prior to his knee injury and said, “I don’t think you ever come back fully from a reconstruction. I think he is really close. It is hard to have reconstruction. Al never relied on explosion he is more craft, but before he got hurt he was playing at a really high level, he was able to carry a team through tough stretches.”
The Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale is one of the greatest big men the NBA has ever seen. His post game was comparable to the fundamental game of Tim Duncan with an array of moves that were unstoppable.
Tonight before the game I took the opportunity to ask him about developing big men like Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. The Hall of Famer didn’t paint a pretty picture.
“They are real raw but they are young. Honestly and to be truthful, they end up being causalities of coming out and not being able to develop. It is one thing to be developing against other 18 and 19 year old your development gets stunted when Dwight Howard is the one you are developing against.”
McHale continued and explained why so many of the young bigs never completely get all out of their talent.
“You have to have success at some point. That is why too many guys come into our league and don’t have any success and they become rebounder and shot blockers and they become specialty guys. Where had they stayed somewhere for three or four years and got good tutelage and got bigger and stronger and got their offensive games going. You don’t get a lot of confidence going against Dwight Howard.”
McHale coached Jefferson in Minnesota prior to his knee injury and said, “I don’t think you ever come back fully from a reconstruction. I think he is really close. It is hard to have reconstruction. Al never relied on explosion he is more craft, but before he got hurt he was playing at a really high level, he was able to carry a team through tough stretches.”
David Locke recap of Loss to Houston Last Night
David Locke - Yesterday 8:21 PM - Public
EMPTYING THE NOGGIN AFTER JAZZ LOST TO THE ROCKETS
Empting the Noggin
• This game got away. The final score is really misleading to what the game was tonight. The game was within 2 with 5 minutes left and had been within 2 for almost the entire evening. The game had only three runs, 2 by the Rockets and 1 by the Jazz otherwise it was completely even throughout the game.
• The disappointment in this game was some plays that lacked the necessary attention to detail that it takes to win on the road. CJ with back to back fouls flying at Courtney Lee, but more why was he leaving CJ Miles leaving their best three point shooter who is known as a corner three point shooter. Millsap three attempt with 3 minutes left down 8 seemed like a bail out possession where the effort to get a better shot was more than the team could handle.
• This team is going to make plays that make you scratch your head, they are going to lose focus, they are going to have moments where they don’t understand time and score. That is inevitable when you are young. I am just surprised by who the players were who had those moments. Cj and Paul have to be the mainstays.
• Prior to the final 5 minutes the Jazz did a lot of things very well. They defended really well for most of the night. Raja Bell put Kevin Martin in hell and he couldn’t get out and he just wanted to get away from it. Raja quest going into the game is to break his opponent. We have talked about it and that is truly what he is trying to do and he knows when he is getting close and how to do it and he broke Martin tonight. Martin had one field goal on an alley opp for most of the night.
• Overall, the defense was really very good. Lowry made shots – he hit 7 of 8 from three. The Rockets made the extra pass on a bunch of key possessions where the Jazz defended well and rotated correctly but the Rockets made a pass extra. Scola is crafty inside and got some good looks on the defense.
• Unfortunately, Bell crossed the 30 minute mark and the adductor went again. The play where Millsap shots the left corner three and Scola leaked out, the ball was thrown over Bells head and when he opened up to run and go after it, boom. The groin went. He took himself out immediately but it doesn’t look good. In the past that has been a week or two for Raja.
• Raja continued his streak tonight and hit a three, the longest running streak in the NBA will have to be on hold.
• Without Raja the Jazz are going to need something out of CJ or Josh and they are getting nothing right now. Josh got a put back but then made plays that weren’t team oriented and ended up playing on 5 minutes. CJ had two great blocks but went 1 for 5 and is not 4 for his last 21. CJ is grinding he is coming out early before every game putting in the work, but can’t find the stroke.
• The Jazz had zero point in the paint in the 3rd quarter. The Rockets made adjustments at the half and the Jazz bigs couldn’t react.
• The Jazz bench was how the Jazz were winning games earlier this year and that is not producing right now. The bench shot 6 of 30. Derrick Favors went 1 for 7. He is not the same player on the road as he is at home. The jazz need Favors to give them something on the offensive end and he has to learn where he wants to ball and what he is going to do with it. He does too much of everything still and not enough of a go to move.
• Earl’s shooting has not been the same since the ankle and he is battling a really bad cold. He was not the spark he has been in the past.
• Gordon asserted himself on the game in 1st quarter with 4 assits but then didn’t in the second half after sititng the entire 2nd quarter and that is the opposite of how he has been impacting games.
• I have a feeling I might be typing this time and time again, Burks is playing with players that are as good an athlete as he is for the first time in his career and he is going to have to learn how to make shots. He is shooting – 41% which is not surprising for a wing rookie, that is what Durant, Kobe and LeBron all shot.
• Player almost always get to their career numbers by the end of the year, but this year the % will all be down a little bit because of the compacted season. So which players are going to get to the back of the basketball card, CJ Miles 38% (career 42%), Howard 36% (41.8 since the injuries), Jefferson 48% (career 50%), Watson 42% (career 42%)
• The youngsters are hard to gauge, Favors is at 49% (51% career), Hayward is at 42% (46% career) they both need to be taking steps forwards so they can take a big jump year 2 to 3 or year 3 to 4.
Empting the Noggin
• This game got away. The final score is really misleading to what the game was tonight. The game was within 2 with 5 minutes left and had been within 2 for almost the entire evening. The game had only three runs, 2 by the Rockets and 1 by the Jazz otherwise it was completely even throughout the game.
• The disappointment in this game was some plays that lacked the necessary attention to detail that it takes to win on the road. CJ with back to back fouls flying at Courtney Lee, but more why was he leaving CJ Miles leaving their best three point shooter who is known as a corner three point shooter. Millsap three attempt with 3 minutes left down 8 seemed like a bail out possession where the effort to get a better shot was more than the team could handle.
• This team is going to make plays that make you scratch your head, they are going to lose focus, they are going to have moments where they don’t understand time and score. That is inevitable when you are young. I am just surprised by who the players were who had those moments. Cj and Paul have to be the mainstays.
• Prior to the final 5 minutes the Jazz did a lot of things very well. They defended really well for most of the night. Raja Bell put Kevin Martin in hell and he couldn’t get out and he just wanted to get away from it. Raja quest going into the game is to break his opponent. We have talked about it and that is truly what he is trying to do and he knows when he is getting close and how to do it and he broke Martin tonight. Martin had one field goal on an alley opp for most of the night.
• Overall, the defense was really very good. Lowry made shots – he hit 7 of 8 from three. The Rockets made the extra pass on a bunch of key possessions where the Jazz defended well and rotated correctly but the Rockets made a pass extra. Scola is crafty inside and got some good looks on the defense.
• Unfortunately, Bell crossed the 30 minute mark and the adductor went again. The play where Millsap shots the left corner three and Scola leaked out, the ball was thrown over Bells head and when he opened up to run and go after it, boom. The groin went. He took himself out immediately but it doesn’t look good. In the past that has been a week or two for Raja.
• Raja continued his streak tonight and hit a three, the longest running streak in the NBA will have to be on hold.
• Without Raja the Jazz are going to need something out of CJ or Josh and they are getting nothing right now. Josh got a put back but then made plays that weren’t team oriented and ended up playing on 5 minutes. CJ had two great blocks but went 1 for 5 and is not 4 for his last 21. CJ is grinding he is coming out early before every game putting in the work, but can’t find the stroke.
• The Jazz had zero point in the paint in the 3rd quarter. The Rockets made adjustments at the half and the Jazz bigs couldn’t react.
• The Jazz bench was how the Jazz were winning games earlier this year and that is not producing right now. The bench shot 6 of 30. Derrick Favors went 1 for 7. He is not the same player on the road as he is at home. The jazz need Favors to give them something on the offensive end and he has to learn where he wants to ball and what he is going to do with it. He does too much of everything still and not enough of a go to move.
• Earl’s shooting has not been the same since the ankle and he is battling a really bad cold. He was not the spark he has been in the past.
• Gordon asserted himself on the game in 1st quarter with 4 assits but then didn’t in the second half after sititng the entire 2nd quarter and that is the opposite of how he has been impacting games.
• I have a feeling I might be typing this time and time again, Burks is playing with players that are as good an athlete as he is for the first time in his career and he is going to have to learn how to make shots. He is shooting – 41% which is not surprising for a wing rookie, that is what Durant, Kobe and LeBron all shot.
• Player almost always get to their career numbers by the end of the year, but this year the % will all be down a little bit because of the compacted season. So which players are going to get to the back of the basketball card, CJ Miles 38% (career 42%), Howard 36% (41.8 since the injuries), Jefferson 48% (career 50%), Watson 42% (career 42%)
• The youngsters are hard to gauge, Favors is at 49% (51% career), Hayward is at 42% (46% career) they both need to be taking steps forwards so they can take a big jump year 2 to 3 or year 3 to 4.
Ron Williams Globetrotting
Site contributor Ron Williams visits From Arizona and beyond http://homefieldaz.blogspot.com/2012/02/globetrotters-remain-big-hit.html
Sunday, February 19, 2012
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