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| "In The End" A Sprint or a Marathon? What it is? September 9, 2011 7:55:44 PM Entry ID: 1912143 | One thing I don't know why It doesn’t even matter how hard you try Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme To explain in due time All I know time is a valuable thing Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings Watch it count down to the end of the day The clock ticks life away It’s so unreal Didn’t look out below Watch the time go right out the window Trying to hold on but didn’t even know Wasted it all just to Watch you go I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard And got so far But in the end It doesn't even matter I had to fall To lose it all But in the end It doesn't even matter One thing, I don’t know why It doesn’t even matter how hard you try Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme To remind myself how I tried so hard In spite of the way you were mocking me Acting like I was part of your property Remembering all the times you fought with me I’m surprised it got so (far) Things aren’t the way they were before You wouldn’t even recognize me anymore Not that you knew me back then But it all comes back to me In the end You kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard And got so far But in the end It doesn’t even matter I had to fall To lose it all But in the end It doesn’t even matter I've put my trust in you Pushed as far as I can go For all this There’s only one thing you should know I've put my trust in you Pushed as far as I can go For all this There’s only one thing you should know I tried so hard And got so far But in the end It doesn’t even matter I had to fall To lose it all But in the end It doesn’t even matter |
| Keystone Little League PA- 'The team we are all cheering for'. August 25, 2011 11:29:08 AM Entry ID: 1908722 | Pennsylvania no-hits Louisiana in LLWS rout Pennsylvania dispatched Louisiana in four innings via the 10-run rule SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) -- Brandon Miller homered and combined with starter Landon Breon on a no-hitter, leading the Little League World Series' hometown favorites from Clinton County, Pa., to a 10-0 rout Monday night against Lafayette, La. Miller led off the bottom of the first inning with a drive to the hill packed with fans behind the right-field wall. Pennsylvania tacked on seven more runs in the second, more than enough cushion for Breon. "You lead off a game like that and you can't help to get pumped up. The roar of the crowd was amazing as he was rounding the bases," Pennsylvania manager Bill Garbrick said. The partisan fans saluted the Keystone Little League all-stars from Clinton County with chants of "Keystone! Keystone!" following their latest victory. They play home games just 30 miles from South Williamsport. Breon struck out two and walked three before Miller came on for the last two outs. The game ended after the top of the fourth due to Little League's 10-run rule. Catcher Wyatt Koch credited Miller's homer with providing the spark his team needed with Pennsylvania facing elimination. "It does take the pressure off," the 13-year-old Koch said. "It gets you motivated to get more runs and it helps the pitcher get a lead." Pennsylvania faces Georgia on Tuesday. After beating Georgia in its series opener on Thursday night, Louisiana lost its last two and was eliminated. "Our big focus was to come in and hit the ball, no matter how much they hit. We just didn't get it done," manager Leland Padgett said. "I don't know what happened (to our bats). It's beyond me." |
| None 16U USA August 21, 2011 9:03:09 PM Entry ID: 1907653 | August 21, 2011 USA tops Chinese Taipei, 19-6 (7 inn.) The 16U National Team defeated Chinese Taipei in the second game of pool play in the IBAF World 'AA'/16U Youth Championships, 19-6 (7 inn.), to remain unbeaten. Team USA led from start to finish in its group-A match-up with Chinese Taipei. It started its scoring in the top of the first inning when Keenan Thompson had an RBI single to score Riley Unroe. The U.S. would add on to its 1-0 lead in the top of the second when it scored seven runs on six hits. The inning began with four consecutive hits by Arden Pabst, Willie Abreu, Matt Vogel, and Bryson Brigman. Later in the inning, Austin Meadows would smash a double down the right field line to begin a two-out rally that ultimately gave Team USA an 8-0 lead. Chinese Taipei would shave a couple of runs off of the lead in the next half inning cutting the lead to six, 8-2. However, that would be as close as it got the rest of the way because in the top of the third the U.S. added four more runs to increase its lead to 12-2. In the half inning, it had five base runners including a double by Brigman. In the fifth inning, the two teams would each score three runs a piece to make it 15-5. Zack Collins had an RBI triple to finish the scoring in the inning for the U.S. Team USA would go on to win by mercy rule by scoring pair of runs in its final two innings to make the lead 19-5 before a lone run in the bottom of the seventh by Chinese Taipei would make it the final score of 19-6. Matt Vogel Received the win for the U.S. going four innings on the mound while only giving up two hits and one earned run. Yu C. Chang took the loss for Chinese Taipei. Leading the U.S. team at the plate was Meadows and Brigman. Meadows went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored while Brigman also went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and four runs scored. GAME NOTES PERFECT START: Bryson Brigman did not start the first game for the U.S., but after coming in as a sub in the first game, he did not make an out at the plate until his eighth plate appearence going 7-for-7 with six runs scored and three RBIs. RBI MACHINE: Austin Meadows had seven RBIs in his first game in pool play and added three more in game two to bring his total for the tournament up to 10. TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS: Despite having 19 runs on 21 hits and three walks, Team USA left only six runners on base, two less than Chinese Taipei left on base. PARDON MY LANGUAGE: In Group A, the five teams speak four languages: Spanish (Mexico), Portuguese (Brazil), Taiwanese (Chinese Taipei), and English (Australia and The United States). ON DECK: Team USA will continue with pool play in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico on Monday. It will face the host country, Mexico at 8:00 p.m. ET. Both teams are undefeated in pool play. |
| None Student life....... August 18, 2011 7:16:40 PM Entry ID: 1907190 | Because the Student... Because the student has a need, we have a job to do. Because the student has a choice, we must be the preferred choice. Because the student has feelings, we must be considerate. Because the student has an immediate need, we must be timely. Because the student is unique, we must be flexible. Because the student has high expectations, we must excel. Because the student has influence, our reputation is in their hands. Because of the Student, we exist. |
| None 16 Little League teams from around the world August 18, 2011 8:03:51 AM Entry ID: 1906964 | SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) -- Montana had never had a team in the Little League World Series. So, a couple weeks ago, 12-year-old Andy Maehl asked his Billings coach if their team was ready to make history. "He kept asking me the question every five minutes," coach Mark Kieckbusch said Wednesday in recalling the talk with the catcher at the regional tournament. "I thought, 'What are you, crazy?"' Prophetic? Yes. Crazy? Not so much. The mashers from Montana have made it all the way to South Williamsport, joining 15 other teams hoping to make the triumphant trot around the Lamade Stadium warning track with a World Series championship banner. First pitch is Thursday, with Taiwan and Mexico leading off a four-game slate. "Just to think, in 65 years," Maehl said Wednesday after batting practice, "we're the only team from Montana to do that." Kieckbusch watched nearby, his shirt soaked in sweat after an hour watching swings in the cage. "To go down as the first Montana team ever," Maehl said, "that's really cool." The 65th World Series is peppered with other intriguing story lines, like the hometown favorites from Clinton County, Pa., who stormed through the Mid-Atlantic region to claim the final berth in the series on Monday. The Keystone Little League boys went straight from the regional final in Bristol, Conn., to the Little League complex, even though their homes are just about 30 miles southwest in rural central Pennsylvania. So, it comes as no surprise to expect a big crowd Friday when Pennsylvania plays LaGrange, Ky., under the lights at Lamade Stadium. "This is really exciting because I've been wanting to get here my whole life and play on this field," Pennsylvania outfielder Mike Keibler, 12, said. "I've watched the kids that were on there and it looked like a really cool field." But the pressure isn't affecting Keibler or the rest of his teammates. These are mainly 11- and 12-year-olds, after all. "The best thing about the dorms is the games," he said. "There are video games, there's ping pong, and my favorite - air hockey." The World Series format was tweaked slightly this year, with an extra day tacked on to make it an 11-day marathon to championship Sunday on Aug. 28. The change will help give teams added time to develop a pitching strategy as a result of Little League's strict pitch count rules. Also, the eight-team U.S. and international brackets are no longer each divided into two four-team divisions. Double-elimination rules remain until the tournament's final weekend. Wednesday, though, was all about getting the last few swings in the batting cage. The fields were abuzz with activity on a picture-perfect summer afternoon as the familiar "ping" of metal bats resonated. On the Mexico team, shortstop-pitcher Carlos Arellano seemed far from home on his 13th birthday. Keep in mind, while most participants are pre-teens, 13-year-olds are eligible so long as they were 12 on April 30. The team had a chocolate birthday cake for Arellano and teammate Ulises Rodriguez, who turns 13 on Thursday. Arellano's favorite player? His father, who goes by the same name. He played in the minors. But the younger Arellano wants just one gift this year ... and it's not from his father. "Win the first game tomorrow," he said. A team from Tokyo won the 2010 title, snapping a five-year winning streak for U.S. teams. Japan this year is represented by Hamamatsu City, which along with Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Montana are among 11 squads this year from local leagues making their inaugural appearances. On the other end is Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, a World Series regular with 12 straight appearances - though this year's trip came by virtue of a disqualification. A team from Uganda had initially won the Middle East & Africa region, but was denied visas by U.S. consular officers after the State Department said there were inconsistencies with players' ages and birth dates. The Saudi Arabia team, comprised primarily of children of U.S. citizens working overseas, was tabbed after losing the regional final. Uganda was trying to become the first team from Africa to advance to the World Series. Saudi Arabia players were already in the United States anyway on a planned summer break after training at a baseball camp in Florida. "From the minute we joined, we had a good team," first baseman Jordan Hajazin, 11, said. "Unfortunately we lost, but we later on found out that they were overage, and we deserved to be here." |
| None THEIR FINAL SACRIFICE August 13, 2011 2:34:15 PM Entry ID: 1905962 | When you think you got it so bad? Take a look at these Fathers and Husbands> The men we lost On the deadliest day in the war in Afghanistan, 30 U.S. servicemen lost their lives when their Chinook helicopter was shot down. These are their stories http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2011/08/us/interactive.fallen.soldiers.chinook/index.html?hpt=hp_c2 |
| None Tracker August 13, 2011 10:23:50 AM Entry ID: 1905936 | It is a beautiful thing to sit back and track many local young boy's progress in the baseball world, the ones that worked hard and believed in who we were and what we did, are starting to see the big picture. The picture is HUGE. Family, Education, Athletics making a difference, never trying to manipulate the system to replace the work that was needed to be the best you could be, no shortcuts. There is no magic bullet or boot camp that will replace good ole fashion hard core training with a plan. That plan needs to be in place the day you first pick up that baseball. The clock is ticking and time is a running out. GOT GAME? Regardless we continue to root for them and their success. Hold on it's going to get better. For the love of the game.... |
| None He was a great American." August 7, 2011 10:18:17 AM Entry ID: 1904348 | (CNN) -- Navy SEAL Aaron Carson Vaughn, one of 30 U.S. special operations troops killed in a helicopter crash Saturday in Afghanistan, was a "great American," his grandmother said. "As a brave warrior, Aaron was brave. But yet, he was a gentle man," Geneva Carson Vaughn told CNN. "He loved his family. He loved his country and he was willing to give his life to protect his family and protect his country. He was a great American." Among the 30 U.S. troops killed when the helicopter carrying them went down were 22 Navy SEALS, officials said. Also on board the helicopter were a civilian interpreter and seven Afghan commandos, officials said. SEALs killed were on rescue mission Chopper crash 'big loss' for Navy SEALs RELATED TOPICS * U.S. Navy SEALs * Afghanistan It was the single largest loss of life for U.S. troops since the Afghan war began in late 2001. The troops died during a "quick reaction" mission to assist military personnel pinned down by insurgents in a fierce firefight, a U.S. military official speaking on condition of anonymity told CNN. Insurgents are believed to have shot down the CH-47 Chinook, said the official, who was not authorized to release details to the media. The Taliban claimed militants downed the helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade. Vaughn is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their two children -- a toddler and a 2-month-old baby girl, his grandmother said. She spoke to CNN by phone from Union City, Tennessee, where she said Vaughn was born. He had wanted to be a Navy SEAL ever since he was a boy, she said, adding that he worked hard and had won several military medals. Her grandson, who turned 30 in June, was stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and had been in the service for about eight years, she said. She recalled one of the last conversations she had with him. "I told him to be careful and he said, 'Granny, don't worry about me.' He said 'I'm not afraid because I know where I'm going if something happens to me.' Aaron was a Christian and he stood firm in his faith," she said, her voice heavy with emotion. "He's with the Lord now, and I'll see him again some day." |
| None Ban Metal - This happened with wood. August 6, 2011 8:55:02 PM Entry ID: 1904281 | DENVER (AP) -- Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio underwent neck surgery early Saturday to stabilize a fractured vertebrae after being struck in the head by a line drive. Rockies trainer Keith Dugger said neurosurgeon Dr. Peter Witt inserted two screws into the damaged C-1 vertebrae and then sought to stabilize the area by putting a small metal plate on the back of Nicasio's neck. Nicasio was placed in a cervical collar and remains under heavy sedation at Denver Health Medical Center but has control and movement in all his extremities. He was reported in serious but stable condition and is expected to remain hospitalized into next week. Dugger did not give a definitive prognosis for the 24-year-old Nicasio, saying there were still many unknowns. However, he said there are also encouraging signs. "He can move his arms. He can talk. He can sit up with help. He remembers every detail of that game, including that pitch," Dugger said. "He was squeezing my hand so tight in the room today. It's a good sign. I'm optimistic, but we just don't know. We'll know more once we start getting into the therapy, at about the six-week mark." Team physician Dr. Allen Schreiber added: "He has every reasonable chance to come back and be like he was." The rookie right-hander was injured in the second inning Friday night on a liner by Washington's Ian Desmond. The ball smashed into the right side of Nicasio's head and bounced back into foul territory. Nicasio went down and lay on the mound for several minutes as he was treated by Dugger and other members of the training staff. He was moved onto a cart by four medical workers. Teammate Todd Helton and manager Jim Tracy assisted. Taken to nearby Denver Health, a CT scan revealed the break in the C-1 vertebrae, which was put back together with the pins. An MRI scan also showed some internal bleeding on the right side of his head where the ball struck him. "It scares you to death to see that happen," Rockies reliever Rex Brothers said. "It hurts your heart a little bit, too, because everybody knows how good of a guy Juan is." Dugger said the injuries Nicasio suffered are more often associated with an auto accident or perhaps diving into shallow water and hitting a rock. "We just don't see it that much in football or even in baseball," Dugger said. "I don't think there has ever been a C-1 fracture in a professional baseball player. It doesn't get any scarier than this type of incident for us." Dugger said that he remains hopeful that Nicasio could be back on the mound by next spring, noting that there was no bruising, bleeding or other damage to the spinal cord. "Best-case scenario, get him back in spring training and he's throwing for our club," Dugger said. |
| None Reality-The Future Our Kids: That We Love So Much' July 31, 2011 9:41:15 AM Entry ID: 1902682 | WHY DO SO MANY DADS/MOMS GAMBLE WITH THEIR KIDS BASEBALL DEVELOPMENT? WHY WOULD YOU GAMBLE? Because you don't know any better and believe the lie. There is so much un developed talent on Long Island and without a plan will only go so far. Why? To succeed in the game you will need to continue sly develop the tools in order to compete, if you are not working on your weaknesses you will come up short. How can this happen? Lack of knowledge, FEAR and GREED. You need to find the Coach/Teacher that will be with you along the way to help develop little Johnny to be the best he can be and put Johnny in the best possible position for him to succeed, you may want him to be a pitcher? But is he really going to be a pitcher? You may want him to be a SS, is that where he is going to perform? Be realistic, you may get an answer you don’t like, realize the lie! fight it, don't fall for it. Welcome it, allot of things in life we don't want to hear. Appreciate it. Don't be delusional, humility is humbling at 15, 16, 17, 18 years of age. Do you want to look back and say ‘Where did I go wrong?’ Time is running out the early years are the developing years, develop the fundamentals early it only gets tougher! You best find that person / persons that is going to deliver the tough love your boy is going to need as you go through the process, continue sly developing along the way. Progress, gauge the progress year to year and I don't mean batting average. That means losing the guy that's going to promise you the world down the road and blows smoke up your butt every opportunity he has and tells you everything you want to hear and how great little Johnny is, as you sign over the weekly fee for whatever. I need the guy that sees the shortcomings and delivers the constructive criticisms. Find that source, that is not going to guess. The guy that understands whatever he is teaching and can help your son develop into a ballplayer, whether it’s physical or mental. A big part of the game that is not taught on Long Island is mental. What does that mean? That’s the part you need to figure out and many have no clue, the parrots can repeat it but have no clue on how to teach it. Let little Johnny earn it, a tip when mommy and daddy manipulate the system for Johnny it hurts Johnny in the end I have seen it to many times over and over and the kids fail. That may mean the teacher/Coach demanding accountability and holding him to the highest standards, that means corrections aka tough love in order to progress. Btw Stick with winners, winners have proven success not the ones that promise success. You get one swing in life, Make it count! For me: It was allot about winning in the early stages, but as I grow up and learn what matters is whether you got game or not, no one cares what you did at 12 years of age. What matters is can you compete at the highest level, it does not matter if you are the top team or not, is little Johnny contributing to the success of the team? I sit back and observe there are allot of players with game and are having fun. Demand accountability...... |
| None July 31, 2011 7:48:21 AM Entry ID: 1902671 | "Vision without execution is hallucination." - Thomas Edison |
| None Biggio honors tradition July 30, 2011 4:26:51 PM Entry ID: 1902611 | HOUSTON (KTRK) -2009- He's one of biggest names in Astros history, but it's not just about his stats. Craig Biggio is also known for his big heart. Astros legend and his family are helping make sure a little girl's dream lives on. Her name was Chloe and a form of cancer took her just two days before her ninth birthday. With the help of her family, her friends, and Craig Biggio and his family, Chloe's spirit lives on in each teddy bear handed out. It happened Tuesday morning at the Clinical Care Unit at Texas Children's Hospital. Build-a-Bears for every sick child and it was all Chloe's idea. "It came straight from her head. Build-a-Bear was one of Chloe's favorite things to do, to go to the stores and build bears. The first time she decided to do it for the patients was her first year that she spent in the hospital on chemotherapy which was December 2006. She said she knew she would be in the hospital that Christmas, but she also knew that she would not be the only one there so she wanted all the patients on the floor to have a bear. That's how it started," said Chloe's mother, Joyce Castillo. "Chloe physically went around and handed out the bears." It just so happened that at the same time Chloe was in the hospital, Craig's son Connor was in Texas Children's successfully fighting a blood infection. "We got a knock on the door and it's Chloe and her Dad. She doesn't recognize me, but the Dad does. He says, 'Chloe, this is one of the Astros.' And she goes, 'Is that my favorite player, Jeff Bagwell?' And I go, 'No I'm not, but he's my favorite player too," said Craig Biggio. "That's how we started a relationship. She's a very special girl. Unfortunately, she's not here anymore, she lost her fight, but we didn't want to see this go away." Craig and Patti's daughter Quin had a birthday party with her friend Kaitlyn and instead of gifts, they asked for Build-a-Bear certificates and everyone made a bear. So did Chloe's friends and family and Tuesday they brightened up a lot of faces at that special time of year. "It makes me feel really great to make other kids feel happy, even when they're sick," said Quin. It's a tradition Chloe started and her family and the Biggios will see to it that. That's what Chloe wanted. "We lost Chloe about 18 months ago, We want to continue to honor our daughter and her legacy. We know how much this meant to her," said Castillo. Craig said, "One of her last days here, I brought Jeff Bagwell up and she got to meet him. They're a very special family and she was a tremendous girl." For everyone who's helping continue Chloe's dream, one little lady said it all. "Thank you!" she said. |
| None July 12, 2011 7:09:41 AM Entry ID: 1898262 | Josh Hamilton came to Arizona to put on a show, despite a heavy heart. PHOENIX (AP) -- Josh Hamilton patiently, even graciously, answered question after question on Monday about the tragic death of a fan who fell from the stands trying to catch a ball the Texas Rangers star tossed toward him. He talked about reaching out to the family of Shannon Stone, the firefighter who tumbled to his death Thursday night as his 6-year-old son looked on. "I haven't thought it all the way through yet," Hamilton said. "Obviously, I want it to be personal, face to face. I'd love to know what kind of man Mr. Stone was and just meet his wife and his little boy and see where it goes from there. "The memorial fund, my wife and I plan to do something with that and try to do everything possible." But he knows he can never do enough. "Nothing we can do is going to bring him back," Hamilton said. "But the organization can take care of the family and see that everything is going in the right direction." Two nights after Stone's death, Hamilton hit the game-winning, ninth-inning home run for the Rangers, a release of sorts for a man who recovered from drug addiction and lives with an abundance of Christian faith. "It helps me handle life," Hamilton said, "and this is life, this tragedy. There's things that happen that you have no control over and you don't understand them and you will never understand them until you stand in front of your maker." He was simply tossing the ball toward a fan that he noticed had a young boy with him. "Just a random act of kindness turned tragic," Hamilton said. "It just lets you know how quickly life can change, just in a blink of an eye, that quick." Hamilton said that, despite a heavy heart, he came to Arizona to put on a show. "Life has to go on," he said. "I still have obviously some feelings about the Stone family and everything that happened, but at the same time I have the joy as far as being here, and the fans want to see me play the game, so I'll do the best I can to excite and entertain to the best of my ability." Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/baseball/mlb/07/11/josh.hamilton.stone.family.ap/index.html#ixzz1Rt8PKLgh |
| None July 11, 2011 9:35:17 AM Entry ID: 1898047 | (CNN) -- Funeral services will be held Monday for a Texas man who died at a baseball game last week. Shannon Stone will be buried in his hometown of Brownwood, Texas. The 39-year-old firefighter fell to his death Thursday while trying to catch a ball at a Texas Rangers game. Ronnie Hargis was seated in the stands near Stone and tried unsuccessfully to save him. "Your first instinct is to reach out and grab him," Hargis told CNN's Don Lemon. "I tried to grab him. I couldn't catch him. He went down. As he went by me I tried to grab him again and I missed and ... it looked like he was in slow motion as he was going to the ground. There was nothing I could do but watch him fall." In the second inning of the ill-fated game, star outfielder Josh Hamilton tossed a souvenir ball into the stands after a batter hit a foul ball. Stone stuck out his glove and reached for the ball, but lost his balance and flipped over the railing of the outfield seats. He fell about 20 feet and crashed head-first into a scoreboard, suffering fatal injuries. Stone died of blunt-force trauma, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner. His 6-year-old son, Cooper, witnessed the tragic accident. "It's just the cruelest of reminders of just how fragile human life can be," said Joe Trahan, sports anchor at CNN-affiliate WFAA. "The mind-boggling thing about this is that everyone's intent was right." Trahan provided details of the incident for Lemon. Ryan: Stop airing baseball fan's fall Baseball fan falls to his death RELATED TOPICS Major League Baseball Shannon Stone Texas Rangers "Josh Hamilton flipped a foul ball up to a little girl an inning or so earlier," Trahan said. "And he heard at that point Cooper Stone ask for a ball. Most of the time, big-leaguers wouldn't even hear that, but he made a note of it, he's trying to do the right thing." Rangers president Nolan Ryan, a Hall of Fame pitcher, said earlier that the club would review the height of railings at the stadium, even though they currently exceed the city's code limits. Trahan told Lemon that club management is already working on making changes at their stadium. "I've spoken to Rangers officials, and they tell me that there are meetings that have already taken place with city leaders, meetings with architects at the ballpark, contractors. They're trying to find a permanent solution, not a stop-gap one." But fan-awareness also plays a crucial role at stadiums, according to Trahan. "This is a stark and cruel reminder that (safety) is everyone's responsibility when you go to the ballpark," he said, adding that he was surprised that injuries didn't happen more often, especially "down the first and third base lines ... those are rocket shots coming off those bats." But Trahan also said that the accident should be kept in perspective. "We go back to the unexplainable issue of why this happened, because there have been thousands and thousands of balls hit in that area, people with gloves trying to get balls and nothing has happened until now." The Rangers held a moment of silence before Friday night's game against the Oakland A's. Members of both teams wore black ribbons. Flags at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington have flown at half-staff all weekend. The team has set up an account accepting donations in Stone's honor with the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation. Donated money has been earmarked to help the Stone family. The Rangers have donated an undisclosed sum, according to the team's website, and the A's donated $5,000. Funeral services will be held at noon ET at the First United Methodist Church in Brownwood. |
| None July 10, 2011 7:42:38 AM Entry ID: 1897913 | " Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all". ~Sam Ewing |
| None Jeter homers to reach 3,000 hits July 9, 2011 3:00:23 PM Entry ID: 1897820 | Jeter homers to reach 3,000 hits first to do it in Yankee uniform Story Highlights Derek Jeter homered off David Price in the third inning to reach 3,000 hits Jeter is the second player to hit a home run for his 3,000th, joining Wade Boggs NEW YORK (AP) -- Mobbed by his pinstriped pals after the ball sailed into the left-field seats, showered by ovations from his fans, Derek Jeter stood alone -- the first New York Yankees player to reach 3,000 hits. His first home run at Yankee Stadium this year, too. A fitting crown for the captain. With a swift swing of his shiny black bat, Jeter jolted himself into historic company, homering off Tampa Bay ace David Price in the third inning Saturday. He became the 28th major leaguer to hit the milestone and joined former teammate Wade Boggs as the only players to do it with a home run. Jeter watched the ball fly as he left the batter's box and gave a big clap as he rounded first base. Rays first baseman Casey Kotchman was the first to salute Jeter, doffing his cap as Jeter passed by. By then, all of Jeter's teammates were already celebrating in the dugout, raising their arms almost in unison. A special time for No. 2 -- his second hit of the game, and right at 2 p.m. The ball, one of the specially marked ones put in play for the occasion, disappeared into a cluster of fans a few rows beyond the wall. Surely, a valuable souvenir to savor. True to his nature of staying focused on the game, Jeter briskly rounded the bases. But there was no way this moment was going to pass without plenty of fanfare. Good buddy Jorge Posada greeted Jeter with a bear-hug after he touched home plate. Mariano Rivera and the rest of the Yankees were right behind, swallowing up Jeter before he could reach the dugout. The bullpen gate swung open, too, as New York's relievers came pouring in. The 37-year-old Jeter, still in the midst of a most difficult season, waved to the crowd several times, then clenched his fist and pointed up to the box where his parents and longtime girlfriend, actress Minka Kelly, have been sitting. Jeter also paid tribute to his opponents. He pointed at Price while many of the Rays applauded the accomplishment, some of them coming out of the dugout to cheer. |
| Http://www.revolutionprep.com/ SAT - PREPARATION REVOLUTION - IVY June 30, 2011 11:00:52 AM Entry ID: 1896259 | http://www.revolutionprep.com/ Zachary S. SAT/ACT PERCENTILE: 96th SAT, AP Calculus BC, and AP Calculus AB Zachary will be a senior at Cornell University this fall. He is majoring in biometry and statistics and he is a member of the Johnson Art Museum Club and the Cornell Economics Society, where as an editor he has taught writers how to advance their level of writing for five semesters. At Sachem East, Zachary graduated 5th in his class of about 600 students and scored extremely well on all areas of the SAT. At Sachem East he received two academic awards one for Math B Honors and one for AP Physics C. At Cornell, he often helps his friends who are not statistics students with their work in their required statistics classes. When he is not helping his Revolution Prep students, he likes running and enjoying time with his family. Zachary's upcoming courses and events The Holbrook Country Club Mornings at 11 AM: July 5, 2011 - July 25, 2011 Visit for details: http://revolutionprep.com/store/confirm/23538 The Holbrook Country Club Mornings at 11 AM: July 30, 2011 - August 18, 2011 Visit for details: http://revolutionprep.com/store/confirm/23541 |
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June 29, 2011 8:28:08 AM Entry ID: 1895978 | OMAHA, Neb. -- Half an hour after South Carolina won its second straight national championship, the game's winning pitcher -- and one of the enduring characters of the College World Series -- was playing in the dirt three days before he was to fly to the sandy beaches of Alicante, Spain, to study, in his words, "Spanish and windsurfing." The trip for junior lefty Michael Roth, just the second pitcher to start two decisive games of the College World Series, is to fulfill a degree requirement for his major in international business, and as he swiveled his cleats to loosen the dirt on the TD Ameritrade Park mound, teammates were scooping it up and filling a clear plastic bag with their very own mementos in what, he explained, was a smart business decision. "It's an investment," Roth joked. "I've still got a pound of dirt from Rosenblatt in my closet. Getting your jersey framed is like 150 bucks." On this night when South Carolina finished its two-game sweep over Florida with a 5-2 victory -- it has now won an NCAA record 16 straight tournament games, dating to last season -- Roth allowed two runs in 7 2/3 innings to improve to 14-3 on the season with a minuscule 1.06 ERA over 145 innings. Between last year's College World Series and this one, he now sports a 1.17 ERA over 38 2/3 career CWS innings, the second-best in history among pitchers who logged at least 30 innings. And now the Gamecocks opened TD Ameritrade in the same fashion it closed down old Rosenblatt Stadium last year: with a national title. Roth's careful memory-making on the mound was notable given the headlines his father, David, generated last week when he quit his job as a car salesman in order to see his son pitch in the College World Series. Michael Roth assured everyone Tuesday night that his father would be OK, and, most of all, that it too was a smart decision. "I'm sure he'll agree it was worth the trip," said the younger Roth. That Major League Baseball calls its championship the World Series has always struck some as overreaching for the eligible parties for the prize have always been confined to 30 North American teams. It may be even less apropos to call this the College World Series, though for slightly different reasons, as it's increasingly becoming a sequel to the SEC tournament. That both schools, Florida and South Carolina, hailed from the league ensured that, even before it started, the nation's college champ would be an SEC school for the third straight year. And now South Carolina has more alltime College World Series championships (two) than SEC tournament championships (one). While the offense routinely generated runs in ample but not abundant portions -- on Tuesday they scored on a pair of RBI singles, a sacrifice fly, an error and just the fourth home run of the season from freshman shortstop Peter Mooney -- it was the pitching staff that won them games. Roth, a reliever most of last year whose start in the Series' final game was just his second of the season, became the ace of a staff completely rebuilt in a year. In fall ball coach Ray Tanner recognized a strong group of returning position players -- helpfully, the Gamecocks started five of the same nine position players it started in last year's clinching game with two other starters this year who participated in the 2010 title game as either a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner -- but a severely depleted pitching staff. "What we were missing was a rotation," Tanner said. " ... Even if you have a good group of core players, you've got to pitch." The Gamecocks' top two starters in 2010 began minor-league careers -- Sam Dyson was a fourth-round pick of the Blue Jays, and Blake Cooper was a 12th-round selection of the Diamondbacks -- as did reliever Parker Bangs, who went in the 31st round to the Royals. Many other contributors to that staff, as those incessant NCAA commercials remind us, went pro in something other than sports. Whether the majors' Year of the Pitcher trickled down to a collegiate version or, more likely, whether the NCAA-mandated safety restrictions on the springiness of aluminum bats sucked the pop of offenses, runs were down roughly 20 percent and homers were down roughly 40 percent. The 33 sacrifices in this year's College World Series were the most since 1955. So, when scoring was unmistakably diminished, the last thing a school wanted to do was rebuild its starting rotation. South Carolina tried several different options for its Nos. 2 and 3 starter spots behind Roth before settling on sophomore Colby Holmes and freshman Forrest Koumas. Of huge importance was also a deep and active bullpen headlined by closer Matt Price, a sixth-round pick of the Diamondbacks, and set-up man John Taylor, a 22nd-round selection of the Mariners. Both Price and Taylor pitched every game of the College World Series and didn't allow an earned over their 16 2/3 combined innings. "The bullpen excelled like we thought they were capable of doing," Tanner said. Most impressive was Roth. He doesn't light up the radar gun but seems to have a deceptive delivery, appearing to lean toward first base before slinging the ball to the plate, usually from a three-quarters arm slot. "He's a tremendous competitor, and he has an idea of what he's trying to do," Gamecocks pitching coach Jerry Meyers said. "He stays within himself and has tremendous pitchability and instincts. If he has to change speeds or change arm slots or do some thing that some other guys can't do as easily, he's been able to do that." Before each half-inning, Roth stands on the back of the mound in silent reflection, his glove across his heart and his hat dangled low by his left side. "I pray that God gives me strength and that God keeps me safe," he said. "Especially tonight, I didn't have all that much strength, but he works in mysterious ways." By beating Florida freshman Karsten Whitson -- the Padres' 2010 first-round pick who chose school over signing and suffered his first college career loss on Tuesday -- Roth remained undefeated against first-round picks past and present, personally improving to 4-0 and leading the Gamecocks to a 5-0 record in such games after earlier victories in games started by Kentucky's Alex Meyer, Vanderbilt's Sonny Gray, Connecticut's Matt Barnes and Virginia's Danny Hultzen. Not bad for a guy selected in just the 31st round by the Indians earlier this month, although it may not have helped that he was unavailable for much of the two weeks leading up to the draft and even turned his phone off during the event itself after numerous calls about what dollar figure he would need as a bonus to leave school and turn pro. For now Roth's intentions are to celebrate this title with his team and to board a plan to Europe where, he insisted, "I'm not picking up a ball." He'll have a weighty decision to make upon the completion of his five-week program in Alicante, but that will come when it comes. Whether it's Tanner's constant preaching about focusing only on the next game or -- more drastically -- his father's decision to prioritize living in the moment at his son's side, Roth has plenty of examples in his life about not getting too far ahead of himself. "The fans will be talking about the three-peat, but we're happy for the repeat," Roth said. "We'll talk about a three-peat come next year or something." |
| None Walker's heroic effort helps Gamecocks down Gators June 28, 2011 8:01:07 AM Entry ID: 1895672 | Christian Walker went 2 for 5 in Game 1, the only Gamecock with multiple hits. OMAHA, Neb. -- Imagine for a minute a plodding, power-hitting first baseman with a broken bone in his hand, who nevertheless launches home runs in batting practice to force his way into the starting lineup and then delivers a pair of hits that alone would have been the story of the night if not for the improbable way he wins the game with his legs. If that sounds like a superhero -- for a night, at least -- you weren't far off. That was the tale on Monday of South Carolina sophomore Christian Walker -- the player coincidentally shares a name with a Marvel comic-book protagonist, who counts the baseball-appropriate Diamond among his aliases -- who persevered through a broken hamate bone in his left hand, who was not listed in the original lineup distributed an hour before game time and who in the 11th-inning of the marathon College World Series finals Game 1 singled, stole a base (with a head-first slide, no less) and advanced two more bases on a pair of throwing errors to score the winning run. "I like to think I play hard," Walker said after the game, "and no matter what's going on, I'm not going to let injury affect how I play." If you expected more than such an understated even-toned reply, you erred in expectation, for Walker's modesty matched his meddle after a performance that was about as heroic as one can be on a baseball diamond, as the defending champion Gamecocks edged Florida 2-1 to take the first game of the best-of-three final series and tied the 1983-84 Texas teams with 15 consecutive NCAA tournament victories. Walker, South Carolina's No. 3 hitter and team leader in average (.355) and home runs (10), broke the bone while swinging the bat in his final time up in Friday night's 13-inning marathon victory over Virginia. He took Saturday off, then tried and failed to swing effectively Sunday. An X-ray and CT scan Monday morning confirmed the fracture, and hours before game time two university doctors treated him in a tunnel behind the first-base dugout and told him he really couldn't worsen the injury and that deciding to play was really just a matter of managing the pain. "I knew it was going to take a lot of pain for me not to play," Walker said, giving profuse thanks to the medical staff. When Walker -- who batted .588 as a high school senior in Pennsylvania and once bested Bryce Harper in a home-run derby -- finished his B.P. round with a homer off the foul pole, his teammates started to suspect they'd have their slugger. "That's when I knew he was going to be in there," third baseman Adrian Morales said. "He's a big part of our lineup, so we need him there. Fifty percent of Christian is good." |
| None June 27, 2011 8:35:49 PM Entry ID: 1895604 | Phoenix, AZ - I have been pulling double duty here in Arizona the last few days, covering both the Prospect Wire tournament in Scottsdale and the USA Baseball 16U Championships, taking place in Peoria, Surprise, and Glendale. The schedule has been intense but the players out here are good and it is time to let you know about some of the top young players I have seen. I am pretty sure I have been seeing the players well, though when the temps go up to 111 as they did today, well, things can get a little blurry! As I roam the spring training complexes in the Phoenix suburbs, my focus has been on the top 2013 grads, searching for players to invite to the Prospect Wire Underclass All American Games, August 4-7 at the University of Central Florida. Of course other players in the 2012 and 2014 classes have caught my eye too, so I will mix in some of those players as well. Mind you, there are 72 teams here in the 16U event and I have caught a glimpse of a lot of those teams, but not all of them and even with those I have seen, I am not sitting on teams for real long stretches. Though, I have watched a couple of the teams a little longer than others because they simply are much stronger than other teams. The top position player I have seen has been SS Christopher Rivera (2013, El Dorado HS, CA) of the Placentia Mustangs. He is listed at 5'10" 165 lbs but I can tell you plays much larger than that. He is a slick fielder, with a plus arm and as if that is not enough, well, he has excellent bat speed and does have some raw power, as well as usable extra base power. He also pitches and though I saw him at 88-90 with a sharp breaking ball, I was told that I didn't see him at his best and that came from a college coach who has seen him a lot. The top overall hitter that I have seen, in terms of physicallity and ability to impact a game each and every time he steps to the plate has been OF Cody Roper (2012, Bishop Gorman HS, NV) of the Colton Nighthawks. He has good present day raw power and he can access it in the games, and did so when he easily cleard the right field wall on Tuesday. He can get a little homer happy and dip a bit at times but he has the bat speed and raw power to impact the game every time he comes up. Roper's teammate, C Jacob Nottingham (2013, Redlands HS, CA), is one of the top all-around catchers I have seen and honestly, there are 3-4 other real strong players on that Nighthawks team. I almost forgot about RHP Eric Geiger (2012, Riverside King HS, CA). He is another outstanding player on that team. His arm is easy and strong, with a fastball up to 88 and a chance for a power slider. Then again, there are a couple of hitters on Team Northern California who could also be considered in the top hitter conversation. OF Hunter Mercado-Hood (2013, De La Salle HS, CA) and SS Dominic Nunez (2013, Elk Grove HS, CA) are both sweet swinging lefthanded hitters who can hit with some pop and look to be high average hitters for certain. They both have excellent presence in the box and if age eligible, they could find themselves competing for the 16U team. The top 2014 grad I have seen is also on Team Northern California, INF Bryson Brigman (Valley Christian HS, CA). Brigman is a long and lean athlete, with defensive skills and today, he showed that he has some raw power too, as he homered against the SoCal Elite. Brigman was rumored to have already verbally committed to a D1 program during the spring (mind you, that was in his freshman year) but the coaching staff at that school has since resigned, so though I don't know for sure, he is likely no longer verbally committed. The Baseball Northwest teams have some good, physical hitters. BBNW Washington 3B/1B Garrett Gallinger (2013, Gig Harbor HS, WA) is a 6'3" 190 lb specimen with a nice loose swing and plus raw power potential. His teammate, INF Adam Walker (2014, Skyview HS, WA) is also a bit, strong, physical hitter and at 6'3" 200 lb and still a youngster, keep an eye on him! On BBNW Oregon, the player who caught my eye was C Matthew Decker (2013, Jesuit HS, OR) who at 6'4" 190 lbs sure looks the part and when he plays, he plays the part. Decker can receive and shows ability with the bat that will have him in the middle of line-ups for years to come. Another outstanding 2014 grad is on the BBNW Oregon, LHP Christian Martinek. I could be wrong on the spelling of his name and I didn't get his school info, as he was an add-on to the roster. I do know he has a great pitcher's body and his fastball was up to 87 in the time I watched. I would say he was about 6'6" and 205 lbs or so. The breaking stuff was a little suspect but he is young and could be a special one. A team I was not familiar with, LABA (I think Los Angeles Baseball Academy) had some very good players. I did find out that the players I liked off that team normally play for one of the Southern California power club programs, San Gabriel Valley Arsenal but they were playing for LABA in this event as the coach is their high school head coach. INF Joe Corrigan (2013, Harvard-Westlake HS, CA) and C Arden Pabst (2013, Harvard-Westlake HS, CA) both impressed me with the bat and defensive ability. Pabst is a top tier catching prospect and Corrigan looks like he is really going to hit. Both have big strong builds but still have some projection left. Their teammate, RHP Rene DeLeon (2013, Alemany HS, CA) also caught my eye with his strong arm, athletic body type and demeanor on the mound. He got his fastball up to 88 and there is more in the tank. Oh yes... the 2014 SS Jack Flaherty (Harvard-Westlake HS, CA) is also a very good young plyaer. Seems that Harvard-Westlake HS has a lot to look forward to next year! One of the top pitching prospects I saw had a terrible game and that just goes to show you that if a scout is watching, and a player has ability, don't get too concerned with results all the time. Everyone has a bad day on the mound, well, maybe except Roy Halladay! LHP Blake Taylor (2013, El Toro HS, CA) of Quakes Baseball Academy has the body type, arm action and present day stuff (FB up to 88) to suggest he has a very nice future. Frankly, he looked like a young Mark Mulder standing out there. My favorite player on Team Anderson 2014 was CF Dalton Frize (2013, Luthern HS, CA). He is a L/L centerfielder who can run, throws well, tracks down the ball well and has the type of contact stroke, with bat speed, to suggest he can be a lead-off type hitter and a very good one. He isn't very big right now (5'9" 145 lbs) but he can play. As they say, it isn't the size of the dog in the fight! On Team California I found a strong offensive catcher, Alex Guenette (2013, La Jolla Country Day HS, CA). He went deep and it was a really nice swing on an inside fastball then later he went deep again... but just foul. He receives well and blocked the ball in the dirt well. Overall, his combo of hitting and defense were outstanding and he rates as one of the better catchers I saw, among a great group of catchers at this event. One of the top pure hitters I saw was on the San Diego Show Black team. INF Gosuke Katoh (2013, Rancho Bernardo HS, CA) is a sweet swinging lefthanded hitter who can hit to all fields. He is very calm in the box and has exceptional hands and feel for hitting. He is also a nice defensive player and with his still lean and thin body type, there is all kinds of potential with this young infielder. He had a couple of teammates that also caught my, in particular OF Shane Davern (2013, La Costa Canyon HS, CA) who showed me excellent bat speed and a very aggressive hitting nature in the box. He is a strong 6'1" 210 lb lefthanded hitter and will be heard from in the coming years. Of course this is just a small samble size of the top players I saw at this tournament. The pitching wasn't as strong as college coaches would want to see but the position players, in particular the catchers and lefthanded hitters, were in abundance. |
| None June 26, 2011 10:24:16 AM Entry ID: 1895205 | You know they say: Your only as good as your competition, do you only perform when you compete against the marginal/sub par teams? Do you compete when the opponent is strong when the game is on the line? Or are you defeated at the first sign of competition? Do you look to play the sub par teams knowing you will win? or do you challenge and punch the biggest toughest guy in the mouth and wait for a reaction? Possibly defeat? Got game or do you talk a good game? Are you just faking it? What is it? Are you developing the fundamentals and have the potential/heart to play at the next level? Time will tell. |
| Great Pride in defense. The wild finish June 25, 2011 9:18:35 AM Entry ID: 1895069 | Virginia reliever Cody Winiarski botched two throws in the bottom of the 13th OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- A Virginia team that took great pride in its defense had its season end at the College World Series on two maddening throwing errors. Reliever Cody Winiarski botched two throws after fielding consecutive bunts in the bottom of the 13th inning Friday night, allowing pinch-runner Adam Matthews to score the winning run in South Carolina's 3-2 victory that ended Virginia's season. "That was a baseball game of just a lot of emotions, a lot of gut decisions, both teams taking chances at times," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "It's unfortunate that we had to come out on the wrong end of it." Defending champion South Carolina's record 14th straight NCAA tournament win sends the Gamecocks (53-14) back to the CWS' best-of-three championship round. They will play Southeastern Conference rival Florida (53-17) beginning Monday. Virginia (56-12) becomes the 12th straight No. 1 national seed to not reach the finals. The wild finish Friday came after South Carolina closer Matt Price worked out of bases-loaded situations in the 10th, 12th and 13th innings. Brady Thomas singled leading off the bottom of the 13th against Winiarski. Matthews came in to run and advanced when Winiarski pivoted and threw wildly trying to get him at second on Peter Mooney's bunt. Robert Beary followed with another bunt. Winiarski tried to get Matthews at third, but the low throw got away from the third baseman, allowing the winning run to score. "It's simple. They wanted to get an out (on sacrifices), and we weren't able to capitalize on that and just take what they were giving to us," Winiarski said. "Those are plays we practice every day in practice and just didn't execute." |
| None Inexperience shouldn't hinder Virginia, Vanderbilt June 17, 2011 1:57:54 PM Entry ID: 1893537 | Pitcher Danny Hultzen is a threat for the Cavaliers on the mound and at the plate. OMAHA, Neb. -- This year's College World Series was guaranteed to be special because it features the debut of TD Ameritrade Park. But the way the eight teams are bracketed makes for some intriguing possibilities for the championship series. It could be an all-ACC final if North Carolina and Virginia win their brackets. Or it could be all-SEC if defending champion South Carolina and either Florida or Vanderbilt come through. There's also the possibility of an all-Texas final with Texas and Texas A&M. Then there's Cal, which would be the most compelling story of all if they reach the finals. COLLEGE WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE AND SCORES Here's a look at the eight teams playing for the national championship: CAL (37-21) The story will be told over and over and over again, as long as the Bears keep this magical season going. And the story should be told, about how Cal's baseball program was among those last fall that were to be eliminated amid budget cuts, about how alumni stepped forward at the 11th hour to raise $10 million to save the 118-year-old program and about how the team responded to adversity through it all. "With the hunger and fight that we have," outfielder Austin Booker said on the school website, "we feel there's no obstacle that can stand in our way." Good thing, because the Bears open the CWS against No. 1 national seed Virginia. The Cavaliers better watch out. Omaha loves an underdog. One to watch: Sophomore 2B Tony Renda (.335, 3 HRs, 42 RBIs, 9 SBs), who may be used at DH, was the Pac-10 Player of the Year. He's a hard-nosed player listed at just 5-foot-8 who was among the team's offensive leaders. He slid home headfirst with the winning run in the Regional final against Baylor, injuring his quadriceps in the process. It limited him to DH duty in the Super Regionals, but he should be healthy enough to return to second base for the CWS. How they got here: Won double-elimination Regionals, beating Baylor 9-8 in final with four runs in the bottom of the ninth swept Dallas Baptist in best-of-three Super Regionals. CWS history: The Bears won the very first national championship in 1947. That first year, eight teams were divided into two four-team, single-elimination playoffs with the winners advancing to a best-of-three series played in Kalamazoo, Mich. The event moved to Omaha in 1950 and Cal won its second title there in 1957. This is Cal's sixth CWS appearance, but its first since 1992. Well-known alum: Jeff Kent. FLORIDA (50-17) The Gators and South Carolina have the distinction of being the two teams that closed out Rosenblatt Stadium. While South Carolina came away with a championship a year ago, Florida went home winless. If the Gators are to experience success this time, they likely will have to outslug teams to do it. Florida's 3.00 team ERA ranks behind every team here but North Carolina (3.27). The Gators do pack the most punch, with 67 team homers. One to watch: Sophomore C Mike Zunino (.376, 18 HRs, 66 RBIs, 7 SBs) earned SEC Player of the Year honors in 2011. He's batting .458 in six NCAA tournament games with seven RBIs, three homers and three doubles. This year's bat restrictions haven't bothered him a bit. He doubled last year's HR total and ranks among the nation's top 10 in homers. How they got here: Swept through Regionals, averaging more than 10 runs a game. Beat Miami in regional final defeated Mississippi State in three games in Super Regionals. CWS history: The Gators, who finished as runners-up to Texas for the 2005 title, are making their sixth trip to Omaha and their second straight. Last year, Florida left Omaha early with losses to UCLA and Florida State. Well-known alum: David Eckstein. NORTH CAROLINA (50-14) The Tar Heels' 3.27 team ERA is the worst among the eight teams here -- although it is 2.00 during the postseason -- but it is minimized because of the defense (a school-record .979 fielding percentage) played behind the pitchers. A school-record 340 walks has helped fuel an offense that is averaging nearly seven runs a game. North Carolina is nearly unbeatable (44-1) when leading after seven innings, with Michael Morin (10 SVs) and Cody Penny (5 SVs) closing out many of the victories. One to watch: Unlike many newcomers, freshman 3B Colin Moran (.335, 9 HRs, 69 RBIs) needed no adjustment with the jump from high school to college on the way to earning ACC Freshman of the Year. In fact, he led the conference in RBIs. It was something of a surprise because Moran's left-handed swing didn't produce many results in fall ball. Perhaps it was the contact lenses he got before the season. "Going to the eye doctor," Moran said on the school website, "was like going from regular TV to high definition TV." How they got here: Swept through Regionals, winning twice with shutouts before beating James Madison 9-3 in final swept Stanford in best-of-three Super Regionals. CWS history: This is the ninth appearance for the Tar Heels, who made it four straight years from 2006-09 before missing out last season. North Carolina finished as runners-up to Oregon State for the national championship in both 2006 and 2007. The '06 loss was most painful. The Tar Heels won the best-of-three championship series opener 4-3 and they were closing in on the title in Game 2 with a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning. But Oregon State rallied for an 11-7 win, then won 3-2 the following night to clinch it. Well-known alum: B.J. Surhoff. SOUTH CAROLINA (50-14) The Gamecocks figured to have another solid team, but getting back to Omaha was something of a long shot after losing several key players -- including top starting pitchers Blake Cooper and Sam Dyson -- from last year's championship team. "We'll have a good team again," said South Carolina coach Ray Tanner before the season. "It's just too hard to predict how the season will end up." It helped that one of the returners was sophomore RHP Matt Price (5-3, 2.16 ERA, 18 SV, 67 Ks/15 BBs in 50 IP), who is one off the national lead in saves. 3B Christian Walker (.359, 10s HR, 60 RBIs) has led the offense in the absence of OF Jackie Bradley Jr. (.259, 6 HRs, 26 RBIs), who was sidelined midseason with a wrist injury. Bradley, last year's CWS Most Outstanding Player, was cleared to return this week, although his ability to swing a bat remains to be seen. One to watch: South Carolina LHP Michael Roth (13-3, 1.02 ERA, 95 Ks/32 BBs in 123 IP) was one of the CWS heroes last year, bailing out a staff that was overtaxed. Roth's only starts of the 2010 season were in Omaha -- he pitched a complete game to beat Clemson and went the first five innings in the championship-clinching win over UCLA. Now he's the Gamecocks' first option instead of their last one. How they got here: Challenged in their Regional opener -- a 2-1 win over Georgia Southern -- but still swept the Eagles, and then beat Stetson in final swept UConn in Super Regionals. CWS history: The Gamecocks had been bridesmaids many times (finishing third three times in 1975, 1977 and 2002) before winning last year's national championship against UCLA. This is the school's 10th appearance overall. Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/06/17/baseball.college.world.series.preview/index.html#ixzz1PYboKZLj |
| University of Virginia lacrosse “Focus on who WE are. June 17, 2011 9:05:37 AM Entry ID: 1893483 | University of Virginia lacrosse players celebrate their victory over Maryland, 9-7, in the NCAA championship game in Baltimore, at M&T Bank Stadum. OK. Anyone who is leading an organization — major corporation, t-ball team, community initiative, SEAL Team 6 — any organization that is interested in accomplishing bodacious goals – hear, reflect and share the amazing story of the 2011 University of Virginia men’s lacrosse team. Listen to the story. Witness the incredible results. Share the lessons. From my perspective, the story of Virginia’s lacrosse team is about taking stock and clarifying what your brand is really all about. It’s about taking a courageous stand for your brand. Determining the desired attributes associated with your brand and making tough decisions to adhere to your brand. And, most importantly, collectively living your brand though your actions, as a team. The 2011 U.Va. lacrosse story is truly “Vision in Action.” Now. This is not just another favorite sports team story (Remember, FMOL readers, I went to W&L). In fact, this is not just a sports story. It is way more than that. This is about really the elements of what drives organizations to achieve more than rationally one could ever expect. This story deserves to be on the front page of the Wall Street Journal as much as it does on the sports pages. Yesterday, U.Va. won the NCAA national lacrosse championship. But that’s not the news. The news is THE WAY they won. They won as a team. A team with deeply-shared values and commitment. A team that was willing to stand up to multiple tests of their values and commitment. The U.Va. men’s lacrosse team was forced to define what this “team” really stood for when a teammate dragged the entire U.Va. lacrosse brand to the lowest depths with his brutal behavior in the spring of 2010. So, the first iteration of this “re-branding” came out of necessity. Despite this terrible incident, the U.Va. “team” sought to capitalize on the talent they still had. And, going into 2011, the U.Va. lacrosse team remained immensely talented having what the New York Times called “The Boy Wonders of Lacrosse” – Shamel and Rhamel Bratton leading their “team.” These were two of the very best lacrosse players in the country. Going into the 2011 season, U.Va. was ranked first. But all was not well on this talent-packed lacrosse squad. From March 26 – April 22, the highly-ranked Cavaliers lost four of five games. They certainly did not look like a “team” – they looked like a bunch of individuals, each seeking to shine. In late April, the team captains took it upon themselves to go to a much deeper level to re-define exactly what the 2011 U.Va. lacrosse brand is all about. Now, I am sure that is not how they would describe their actions – all this talk of “brand.” But, from my perspective, that is exactly what they were doing. And, this second “re-branding” go around, the players were a lot more serious. They attached standards of behaviors in accordance with their “brand.” They wrestled hard to define success. They created some very strict guidelines. And, they – as a team – recommitted themselves. And — here is the important part — they made really tough decisions to ensure absolute consistency with their new found brand. Shockingly, on April 29, the team dismissed Shamel Bratton, perhaps the best lacrosse player in the country, for not adhering to “the standards of behavior that we expect.” Predictably, his greatly talented brother, Rhamel, followed suit as he found that he did not ‘fit in’ with the team. The team decision was to, in essence, remove two of the best players because their behavior was out of alignment with the established brand. Wow. That is brand courage. So, at this point, the once-mighty U.Va. lacrosse team is limping into the post season. The previous #1 power house was now declared by ESPN pundits as finished and the U.Va. program as “a total mess.” Some even questioned whether U.Va. was worthy of an NCAA tourney invite. Of course, these folks did not know what was happening inside the locker room where a honest-to-goodness “team” was starting to gel. Afterall, they no longer had the superstars to depend upon. They had to depend on themselves. What is great about watching the NCAA college lacrosse tournament on television is how close the TV crew can get to the inner workings of the game. With lacrosse, for some reason, we fans get to really listen to the coach’s huddles and pep talks. Dom Starsia led Virginia to national championships in 1999, 2003 and 2006. During their NCAA tournament games, it really struck me how elementary and basic U.Va. coach Dom Starsia’s passionate urgings were to his squad. “Play like a TEAM!” “Focus on who WE are.” “Keep believing in each other, and keep believing in the team.” It was as if I were leading my sixth grade girls basketball team all over again. Really Dom? Isn’t there something additional that has to be said? Afterall, “we” are half of what we used to be with the dismissal of the two best players? I mean isn’t there a special “red right rover” play, or something? Play like a team? But, man, they REALLY looked like and played like a team in their first two victories. Everyone contributing. The Cavaliers’ collective passion and drive was awesome. All is good. And then…another tough “live the brand or not” decision confronts the team as they contemplate their higher ranked semi-final opponent – Denver. Key Cavalier attackman Colin Briggs apparently – unbeknownst to anyone but his teammates – violates team rules. Decision? Briggs is suspended for the biggest lacrosse game in these players’ lives. Result? U.Va. dominates Denver with almost flawless team play…wins easily…and heads to the national championship. Briggs reaction to missing the game? ”I was disappointed in myself. I’m a leader. I’ve got to make better decisions.” In the finals, a totally re focused Colin Briggs is invited back to join the team. Briggs scores a career high five goals in the finals and leads the U.Va. team to a national championship. Virginia is the lowest seeded team ever to win the NCAA title. You just can’t script this stuff. Cavalier team captain Bray Malphrus said it best in the celebration afterwards: “you only get this [as he held the national championship trophy] if you have kids who are willing to sacrifice for something greater than themselves.” Well said. Then, somehow, great things will happen. |
| None Fathers Dads and what really matters..... June 16, 2011 8:55:25 AM Entry ID: 1893294 | Atlanta (CNN) -- A tale of two different fathers has emerged in America: Those who regularly participate in their children's everyday lives and those who live apart from their kids, according to a study released Wednesday by the Pew Research Center. "On the one hand, fathers who live with their kids seem to be far more actively involved with their kids than they were 50 years ago," says Gretchen Livingston, the lead author of the Pew study. "But at the same time, the share of dads living apart from their children has more than doubled" since 1960. Now, roughly one out of every four fathers lives separately from a child, meaning 20.3 million children don't have a dad in their house. "This issue of living apart from your kids vs. living with your kids is extremely important if you look at day-to-day involvement with those children," says Livingston. "Our research shows that dads who live with their children are just far more involved." The Pew study is based on analysis of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) which involves interviews conducted by the National Center for health Statistics. Some of the findings seem like common sense: A dad who lives with his child will participate more. In fact, in a separate survey, the Pew Research found 69 percent of those questioned said they believe a child needs a father in the home to grow up happily. The study based on the NSFG statistics also found that education, wealth and race play contributing factors. "White dads, college-educated dads and dads who have higher incomes are all more likely to be living with their kids than other dads," says Livingston. "The numbers are pretty stark." CNN Comedy: Father's Day RELATED TOPICS * Father's Day * Parenting * Family * Pew Research Center For instance, 40% of fathers with less than a high school diploma live away from kids compared with 7% of dads with college degrees who live apart from their children, according to the study. "The differences are equally large for the race differences and income differences," Livingston said. The study found that 21% of white fathers live away from their children. For African-Americans, it's more than double, 44%. For Hispanics, 35% live away from their children. But of the fathers living apart from their children, black dads were the most involved in their kids' lives. "I do think it's a tale of two different dads," says Livingston, "but just because a dad doesn't live with his kid, it doesn't necessarily mean that he's absent from that kid's life." In 1960, 89% of children lived in a home with their dad. Today, the figure stands at 73%. On the upside, the study found dads who live with their children are more active than ever before: • Ninety-three percent talked with their kids several times a week about what's going on in their lives (compare that to 31% who live away from their children). • Nine out of 10 eat several meals weekly with their kids. • About six in 10 help with homework. • Just over 50% take their kids to and from activities. As for the 27% of dads who live away from their children, almost one-fifth are considered absentee dads, with only occasional contact and no visits over the past year. Fourteen percent said while they don't live with their children, they see their kids several times a week and talk by phone or e-mail with them regularly. All fathers surveyed were asked: "How good a job do you think you do as a father?" Stark answers were given: Nearly 9 in 10 of those living with their children said they were good or very good dads. Forty-nine percent of those living away from their kids answered the same. Frank Furstenberg, the Zellerbach Family Professor of Sociology and Research at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote a piece titled "Good Dads, Bad Dads" in 1988 about the growing inequities among fathers in America. He says this latest study further underscores what he wrote so many years ago. "It's not a new trend, but it's become exacerbated over time," he says. "From the very start, low-income families, middle-income families and high-income families are becoming more and more divergent in both their form and the way they function as families. It's not because people don't share the same values so much, but the kind of start and resources that parents can bring to bear has become a pressing issue in American society." |
