PCRMSBT

Tonight was the first night of the Payson City Recreation Men's Softball Tournament (PCRMSBT).  It doesn't quite have the same ring  to it nor the easy flow off the tongue that the CWS has, but it still generated some pretty exciting moments.

Leading up to this day I found myself actually getting pretty excited to play in this tournament.  I love to play softball but enjoy it even more when there is something more on the line than just going home with a win for the week.  Granted, in this tournament we are mainly playing for bragging rights and a t-shirt, but at my age I'll take any competition that I can get.

For the first game of the night Pirate Motor Sports played a team that we hadn't faced the entire year, JB Electric. We didn't hit very well (actually pretty bad) but still managed to bring in a few runs.  Fortunately we played just good enough defense, despite only having 9 guys once again, to preserve a small lead all the way up to the sixth inning when they were able to tie us at 7-7.

The score remained the same going into the bottom of the seventh with us getting the last at bats being that we were the home team.  I believe it was J-rod that hit first and was able to get on base.  At that point the stage was set as Hub stepped to the plate with it being the bottom of the last inning and the winning run on first.  Rather than caving to the pressure he steps up and in walk off fashion hits a two run jack to the opposite field to win the game for us.  It was a thing of beauty.  It was the only dinger of the whole game and couldn't have come at a better time. 

Going into game #2 we had regained some of our confidence having just pulled off a close victory.  Immediately though CK Playground Apparel was able to jump out to an early 7 run lead.  They're a good team that doesn't lose very often but so far this year we have had their number.  Tonight though, early on, it appeared that they had brought their A-Game and that we might be in trouble.  

Kind of like Wall.e ( 1/3 of Pirate Motor Sports was seen today at Stadium Theatres taking in a matinee) we persevered and never lost focus of our task at hand.  We made a rally, sparked by another long ball by Hub, that is quite possibly unmatched by any other scoring spree in Payson Recreation history. (so I might be exaggerating a little)  

We came back from seven down and by the fourth inning had put up 31 runs to take a 15 run lead going into their last at bats.  Our defense was solid, but our bats are what made the difference.  They absolutely came alive.  

To be honest, I actually hit pretty lousy even in the second game.  I had one hit that actually felt like there was some good contact. Lady luck was on my side though and for one reason or another the ball always seemed to find an open space.  I'll take it.  

In a double elimination tournament to get the first two wins is huge.  We are sitting pretty good right now and hopefully can carry some of the momentum into next weeks games when we go for the championship.  

Stay tuned.    

New Look

The new look of the website rocks, I like it. The only thing I would add is the names of regular contributors. I don't know who is who with all the aliases. That way I know who to smack talk at and how to throw low blows.
On another note, BYU has me excited for this year. Unfortunately I do not get to see many games down here in AZ. I should start a company to stream video cheaper than the one that exists. I could be going to all the games for the cost of buying what they have. How in the world did Utah get ranked ahead of BYU in that clowns pre-season rankings? This is coming from a Utah Alum, although I requested to be excommunicated from the Utes. That place is a joke.

Anybody but Obama in 08!!!

Yummy Ankle

For those of you clowns that were at USU with me back in the glory days and saw me blow out my ankle, this post is for you. The small town doc in Logan did not do a very good job and missed diagnosing a giant bone chip caught between my foot/ankle and rubbing my ligaments a tendons to the point of permanent damage. Since I am not much of a doctor going person until I got married, I finally went in after 1o years of dealing with it. Here are a couple of pics of my ankle, gotta love it. Long live intermural b-ball!!!!

The NBA Draft

I am pumped about the Jazz's pick in the draft. I had ankle surgery and I have been on my back high on pain killers for the past couple of days, so I have had time to sit and watch the whole draft. I just about lost my dinner when the so-called experts on ESPN were talking about the Jazz's needs and said that they should go with a 2 guard and that they are weak there. Are you kidding me??? What have they been watching and where do I sign up to become an analyst? The Jazz have plenty of 2 guard and then some. The thing the Jazz lack the most is a defensive stopper in the middle ala Mark Eaton. Okur kicks butt and I would put him in the top 10 centers in the league, but he cannot guard a statue. For match up purposes, they need to have a big man and Kostos is that dude. He is 7' 2" and not only is he an inside presence, he has a nice soft touch and has hugh upside. Fez looked good and now Kostos, I think the Jazz are making good picks and I am alrady putting on my D-Will underoos and looking forward to next season. Now the Jazz can ditch the stiff aka Jaron Collins. Collins has made his run and now he needs to go. The second round is going right now and if the Jazz can pick up maybe a 4 or even a foreign point guard that can come over in a couple of years I will be satisfied.

Talking Points

-Pirate Motor Sports went 2-0 last night in our weekly double header.  Our bats came alive and for the most part everyone played pretty well.  We only had nine guys show up but still were able to get the wins in both games.  

I couldn't hold on to a ball to save my life.  I knew that my play was pretty pathetic when after catching a routine pop up in the infield (a real can of corn) Ri-bone tried to make me feel better by telling me I had just redeemed myself.  How weak is that.  What makes it even worse is that I dang near dropped that one also.  I'm thinking about trading my glove in for a new one. (it's got to be the glove right?)  I think Mickey might have just what I'm looking for.  

It'll make turning the double play a little difficult when I try to get the ball out of the glove.  That's alright though.  It's not the getting the ball out of my glove that is the problem right now.

The Alexander brothers came to play.  Both Tikes and Ri-bone pounded the ball well and both had good games in the field.  Riley was a black hole their at shortstop having a real solid performance for the night, and Tikes made the play of the evening stopping a hard hit ball at third for the final out of the second game.  Hub made a pretty amazing catch out in left field as well.  After getting turned around a little he was able to get the glove up and still haul it in.

The best throw of the night came from out in center field.  J-rod bated a dude into trying to get to third when he should have stopped at second.  The throw was dead on and the guy never had a chance.  Real nice play.

The funniest moment of the night was when Ri-bone drove one on a line out over the fence.  We were up one on homers so, despite being a great hit, it was still an out.  No big deal.  Everyone still congratulated him for hitting it so hard.  Two batters later J-rod steps to the plate.  He hits a towering shot out over the center field wall which also, in the end, was an out.  Even though the result was no different than Ri-bones, J-rod took a pretty good lashing from the Alexander posse sitting on the bench.  I thought it was pretty funny.  He's getting quite the reputation of going deep when it counts the least.

Next week the tournament begins.  Hopefully we can get after it early and get a good start this year.  

-The CWS is winding down.  As I type Fresno State has come back after trailing 5-0 to start the game, and have put up 11 runs to take an 11-6 lead.  This is an elimination game for Fresno State.  Hopefully they can hang on to push this thing to a game #3.  As they already have proven though a five run lead doesn't mean much in Omaha.

Pretty slow week.  That's all I got.

Later!

 

Talking Points

philsteele.com

- Phil Steele's preseason poll is out.  Not surprisingly he has BYU ranked at number 17.  Preseason polls are usually based on what the team did the year before and how many starters they have coming back.

Considering the fact that the Y finished in the top twenty two years in a row, have won the last two conference championships outright, and have 9 starters on offense returning, to be ranked #17 in my opinion is right about where they should be.  

The thing that surprised me though is that he has Utah ranked ahead of the Cougars at number 14.  I don't doubt that the Utes could be tough this year.  I don't expect them to be (I expect them to underachieve as usual), but that's not to say they don't have the talent to be good.  I wouldn't put them at 14 though.  

Even more unbelievable is seeing Notre Dame at #19.  Put down the crack pipe Phil.

-Pirate Motor Sports went 1-1 on this last weeks double header.  Elton (34/31) and Travis both went yard and both had the web gems of the evening.  Elton made a nice basket catch over his shoulder at 2nd to take away bush league single, and Travis made a nice running catch at the wall to rob what would have been an extra base hit.  Ri-bone flexed his muscles at the plate as well and put one out.  

-How many of you watched El Tigre this last weekend.  The guy is flat out amazing.  I don't usually watch golf but I found myself intrigued watching him and Rocco  go at it in the playoff on Monday.  It was definitely entertaining.  Sounds like he is done for the year.  Hopefully there is no long term damage from pushing it the way he did.

-I just have to say how much enjoyment it brought me to learn that the Lakers had lost the series.  I didn't get to watch the last game but was very pleased to learn that Kobe and company got blown out to end their season.  Paul Pierce was the man, definitely deserving of being named Finals MVP.

Where's Lunch Box? 

-Another team gone in the CWS.  Stanford knocked off Miami last night to eliminate them from the tournament.  Tikes and Goodness are the last two standing.  There hopes lie on a Carolina team that is facing elimination themselves.  Can they get it done?  They have to beat LSU this evening and  then go on and get two in a row from Fresno State.  It's a tough task ahead but they definitely have the talent to pull it off.  JP's prediction of a final series against Stanford might turn out to be prophetic.  It could be the difference in the tie breaker.

Later! 

CWS-Game #1

Not a good weekend for our picks unless your team wears the Carolina shade of blue.  

Out of seven of us who picked a team, only four different schools were chosen amongst us.  Out of those four schools chosen, 3 of them lost their opening game in the college world series.  The Tar Heels were the only team that went into their game favored that didn't fall in an upset. 

What does that mean?  Only three teams since 1980 have started the tournament with a loss and then gone on to win the championship, the most recent being Oregon State in 2006.  It doesn't happen very often, but it does happen.   

Could Stanford be the Dark Horse?  Amanda and I watched this one and despite having the hottest bats in College baseball, FSU couldn't get much going against the starting pitcher from Stanford.

Stanford 16    Florida State 5

This Dude's junk is un-hittable.  I've never seen a breaking ball fall off the table like his does.  He punished Miami after they had their ninth inning meltdown.  There is a reason why he is a first round draft pick.  He's that good. 

Georgia 7  Miami 4

Rice was my pick.  I didn't get to see the game but the score says it all.

Fresno State 17   Rice 5

Again, didn't watch this one as well as I would have liked.  We had visitors over and the majority thought the NBA finals were more important.  What I did see though it looked like UNC controlled the game from the beginning.

LSU 4   UNC 8

Tikes and Goodness are the only ones sitting pretty good right now.  Fortunately it is a double elimination tournament with a lot of baseball to be played.  

This thing aint over yet.

I'll be keeping a close watch on the afternoon game tomorrow between Miami and FSU.  At least one amongst us will be eliminated with the possibility of three at once should #1 Miami get knocked out.  

Miami (Fat One, Agent Scarn, 34/31)  vs. Florida State (K&K's Mom), 12:00 noon.  

Good Luck.

Shades of Brown

Gas: $300

Hotel: $98

Food: $50

Fishing License: $40

Darren's Life Vest Citation: $45

Fishing the Beaverhead in Montana for 3 days and catching this 19 inch brown trout (as well as a multitude of other fish): Priceless

Talking Points

-Pirate Motor Sports went 1-1 tonight.  No real web gems that I remember.  Elton, Hub (Casey) and Worm touched em all.  Elton showed up again tonight in dramatic fashion and took his deep off the light post out in left field during his first at bat.  Hub (Casey) also went deep out to left center while trying to go opposite field.  Worm poured salt in the wound and hit a grand slam when we were up by almost twenty points.   

The best highlight of the night would have to be with Worm pitching.  He called his own shot for a three pitch inning and actually delivered on his promise. With that being our best highlight it's pretty easy to see that it was a slow night.

I had as many errors as good plays.  Can of corn anyone?  I've been giving them out a lot lately as well. 

-NBA finals: Go Celtics.  Enough said.

-Triple Crown: Looks like we'll have to wait yet another year to see if history will be made.  Big Brown looked out of it from the get go. (They should have kept him on the juice)  I thought the Jockey did the right thing by pulling up and taking it easy coming down the home stretch.  

Nearing the end of the road.....

Welcome to Rosenblatt stadium, home of the college world series.  Since 1950 the NCAA baseball champion has been crowned on this field.  It's a tournament with a long history and quite a bit of tradition.  It's a tournament that I look forward to as much, if not more, than any other.  What makes it even more enjoyable for me is that my wife gets into the games just as much as I do.  Every June we look forward to picking a team and following them through the tourney.

The most exciting baseball that I have ever seen played has been while watching the CWS.  The passion that these kids play with, in my opinion, is unmatched by anything I have seen in the pros.  Miraculous comebacks, walk off home-runs, small ball, amazing glove work, you name it, it's all a part of the CWS year in and year out.

The teams have advanced, the stage has been set, and on Saturday the tournament will begin.  As I pick my team I have decided to try to involve some of you as well.  Since I am so excited and also feeling generous I thought that I would borrow the idea from Amanda and Vanessa and offer a free give-away of my own.

This is the deal.  Pick a team.  If the team you pick wins the series I will give you and a guest free tickets to go take in an Orem Owlz baseball game.  I know it's not much, but it's something and it's free.

If you win and are feeling a little more daring, you can trade in your free tickets to the game for a secret prize. (It's cheesy, I know.  Bare with me though)  There is a catch with the secret prize however.  It's a bigger, better prize but it would not be free (discounted, but not free).  I can't advertise what it is, but  it would involve you and a guest traveling to see a baseball game somewhere outside of Orem, Utah.  I will give more details to whomever wins.  

All I ask in return is that a picture is given to me to post on this blog of you enjoying the baseball game.  Not too much to ask, right? 

Rules of the contest.  

1.  You have until the first pitch of the first game to pick your team.  After which, the contest is closed. (Saturday, June 14, 12:00 noon)

2.  For tie breaking purposes, I also need you to pick three other things.  

The final two teams will play in a three game series.  Tell me which game your team will win the best of three playoff, whether it's the second or third game.  

Tell me also the final margin of victory in the very last game without going over. 

Lastly, guess who their final opponent will be. (pick wisely)

Example:

Stanford, 2nd game, 10 points, North Carolina 

3.  I would like to limit this to people I know.  I know on Vanessa's give-away she had people introducing themselves in their comments.  If I don't know you, sorry.  Introduce yourself and next time you can join.  I'm not saying you have to have been my best friend from childhood but I would have like to have at least met you.  And, if you are one of my best friends from childhood, sorry but no preferential treatment.  

Sound fair?     

The teams are:

Bracket #1 

Stanford

Florida State

Georgia

Miami

Bracket #2 

Fresno State

Rice

LSU

North Carolina

Good Luck!

Braket

College World Series Experience

Talking Points

-WCWS

You won't catch me very often blogging about women athletics. In fact, it's not very often that I even watch women play sports. (No offense ladies)  I don't care for the Lez-NBA (I know, they play better fundamental basketball), I don't enjoy gymnastics, and even get bored with women in bathing suits playing beach volleyball.

Without fail though Amanda and I tune in each year to watch the gals go at it on the softball diamond in the WCWS in Oklahoma City.  These chicks not only look good, but they tear it up out in the field as well. 

Congratulations to the She-Devils of ASU on winning their first national championship.  They pounded the Aggies of Texas A&M 11-0 for their second win in the best out of three series.  

Now the coverage moves on to Omaha for the men's series. Looking forward to that.

-More Softball: The team formerly known as Pirate Motor Sports (I know, it was news to me as well) had our weekly double header last night.  The first game we lost by the 15 run mercy rule.  How pathetic is that?  We lost to a team that is essentially the closest thing we have to a rival, Lift Rite Concrete.  Last time we played them we took it to them.  I guess this was there time for revenge.  We hit lousy and to their credit they hit very well.

In the second game 45 runs were scored between both teams with us winning by a margin of three points.  That's softball for you.  They were a good hitting team but we were able to hold them off during their last ups.  They left the bases loaded to finish the game.

Top 5 web gems

5. Not even a web gem.  In fact it would be the opposite of a web gem but, come on, how am I really suppose to come up with 5 actual gems in a city league softball game?  

Number 5 occurred when the first baseman for the other team missed a throw from I believe their shortstop (I'm not sure, I was too busy running) and it tagged me square in the side of my calf.  I have a softball sized welt (imagine that, hit by a softball and left with a softball size welt) on the side of my leg just below the knee.  I guess it's better there than my melon.  I know, Boo-Hoo.  I'll walk it off and rub some dirt on it.  I'll be ok.

4.  Casey (Tikes and Ri-Bone's brother) threw a strike to nail a dude out at home in game #1.  The ball was thrown on a line from out in right center.  Someday the word will get out not to run on that arm.  Very nice throw. 

3.  In game #2 J-rod called his own solo shot to lead off an inning.  Normally that would be a selfish thing to do, hit a home run with nobody on that results in us being up one on homers, but the fact that he called it we'll have to give him a pass.

2.  His next at bat, that same J-rod accidentally hit another homer to give us the first out of the inning because we were up one on home runs.  You're probably wondering why an out would be a gem.  I count it because I can't hit home runs even if I try and the dude steps up and accidentally goes deep.  I wish I had that bad of luck.  

Cole Bott knows what I am talking about.  Don't you Cole?  "Gone"

1.  And number one, our very own 34/31 (Elton) doing his best Derrick Fisher impersonation shows up part way through the second game.  The fans in attendance absolutely went wild when he stepped to the plate and on his very first cut of the year hit a stand up double out over left center.  It was magical.  

Good to have you back with us E. 

-NBA finals: Two days until they start.  I'll go on record now and say Lakers in six.  As much as I want the Celtics to win, I just don't see it happening.  

-Lastly: Not sports related, but funny.  If any of you have ever been to my wife's blog you may have noticed on the side bar her list of Kade-isms.  They're funny little sayings that my boy comes up with from time to time.  I thought his last one was great but I don't believe it is going to make it to her list so I'll include it here.

The other day we took our shih tzu Boo in to be groomed.  When she came home Kade decided he wanted to hold her.  Usually we call her affectionately Boo Boo or Boobers, our own little nickname for the dog.  That day, Kade decided her name was "Boobies."  Do you see where this is going?

So, the Kade-ism for the day was, "Dad, I want to hold Boobies."  Me too son.  Me too.

Who's in your Fave Five?

Invincible's Vince Papale

This last month I spent a lot of time at home.  SkyWest had me on call which meant I stayed at the house with my cell phone on me at all times waiting for them to call to tell me they needed me.  As it turned out they only needed me 3 days out of the whole month.

Needless to say, I had quite a bit of free time to kill.  I tried to do various things to keep myself occupied.  I was able to get a lot of yard-work done, I threw a lot of pitches to Kade out back, took a few naps, and even got in a couple of DVD's, one of which was Invincible with Marky Mark minus the funky bunch.  Mark Wahlburg plays Vince Papale, a bartender who tries out for the Philadelphia Eagles in an open tryout and makes the team.  You've probably seen it.  I thought it was a pretty good show.

I'm a sucker for sport shows.  They are my favorite movies to watch.  How many times have you heard someone say "Hollywood couldn't write that script" when describing something amazing that happened sports related?  You hear it all the time.  I think it is true, that some sports stories are so amazing that they are nearly unbelievable.  That's why for me they make the best movies. 

So, with that in mind, after I watched Invincible I though about the sports movies that I enjoyed the most.  Borrowing the idea from Sir Chuck Barkley I have come up with my own fave five.  These are the five sport movies that I enjoy the most.

SDR's Fave Five-Sports Movies   

1.  The Rookie- The only show I have ever been to where when it was over the whole audience in the theater started to clap.  Great movie.

2.  Field of Dreams- Ray: Hey, Dad... you wanna have a catch? John: I'd like that.  My favorite lines in the whole show.  If it wasn't so girly I would admit that this part of the show always chokes me up.  But since I am a man, I won't mention that.  I'm not a big Kevin Costner fan but thought he did a great job in this show.

3.  Seabiscuit- You bet it is a sports movie.  I loved the book and thought they did a pretty good job with the movie.  What a great story of an underdog beating the odds.  You don't have to like horse racing to enjoy the story of the biscuit.

4.  The Sandlot- It's fiction, and it's a kids movie.  I realize that.  But come on, who doesn't like the Sandlot?  I crack up every time I watch it.  In some respects it takes me back to my own childhood playing baseball on an improvised diamond in the neighbors front yard, or the after school football games out in my parents orchard, or getting everyone together for a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.  Being a kid was fun. 

5.  Hoosiers-  A classic.  I think when most people think of all time great sport movies this is one of the first shows that comes to mind. 

Honorable Mentions- Rudy, Major League, Miracle, For the Love of the Game, Invincible.

My do not watch list- Bull Durham, anything with Freddy Prince Jr..

So there it is.  I'm not saying they are the best, just that they are my favorites. 

What are yours?