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Tom Wilhelmsen error sets up Yan Gomes walkoff home run for Cleveland Indians [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 6:20 pm] Before the walkoff, came the muff. Seattle Mariners closer Tom Wilhelmsen, messing up a play that pitchers and first basemen across the league work have worked on time and memorial during spring training, muffed a flip from first baseman Justin Smoke in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday afternoon, dropping the ball for an unbelievable error that allowed the Cleveland Indians to score the tying run. It was right of Smoak to throw the ball, after a grounder came his way, and not try to beat Carlos Santana to the bag himself. Smoak's flip didn't have too much on it, or not enough. It wasn't too high that Wilhelmsen had to reach, and it wasn't too low that he had to stoop. Wilhelmsen wasn't late covering the bag, and Smoak didn't lead him too much. The ball hit him right in the leather. Everything about the play was right â except for the catch. Wilhelmsen, who came in 11 of 11 converting saves and really had pitched as well as anyone in ninth innings this season, just didn't catch it. After time was called Smoak bent over at the waste in apparent disbelief. The Mariners re-took the lead in the top of the 10th, but manager Eric Wedge chose not to use Wilhelmsen for another inning, and they lost on a three-run home run by Yan Gomes â Cleveland's backup catcher â in the bottom half. It was an exhilarating ending to one of the more entertaining games of the season. For one side, anyway. Wilhelmsen spoke matter-of-factly about his error, via Geoff Baker's Mariners Blog in the Seattle Times: âSmoakie made a great play and threw a perfect ball right to me,ââ Wilhemsen said. âI simply took my eyes off it and it fell out.ââ The Smoak homer nearly made everyody forget about that. But then the Mariners couldnât get anybody out in the bottom of the 10th and all their efforts went for naught. Smoak said the late loss clearly hurt in a clubhouse where many of the players seemed stunned and angry. It was a total capsizing by the M's, who probably won't en Phil Jackson: Future baseball coach? Zen adviser to MLB managers? [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 6:14 pm] Here's a fun fact: The number of NBA championships won by Phil Jackson as a basketball player and coach is more than every baseball team except the New York Yankees has won World Series rings. Jackson has won 13 NBA Finals. After the Yankees' 27 titles, the next highest is the St. Louis Cardinals, who have 11. That's a weird set-up for two weird tidbits: (1) Phil Jackson might want to be a baseball coach. (2) He's already an adviser to a couple MLB managers. The New York Times' magazine detailed at length how NBA teams are still chasing Jackson and how he can't really leave the game. One passage reads: "Jackson will almost certainly return to basketball. One of his other great talents is coming out of retirement." But about three-fourths into the story comes this baseball-centric nugget: Jackson has been serving as a kind of intersports guru, giving informal advice to an Israeli soccer coach â âAll soccer involves triangles,â Jackson says â as well as to a couple of baseball managers. He grew up playing baseball and still thinks he would make a good coach. He has told the owner of the Chicago White Sox â his former boss with the Bulls, Jerry Reinsdorf â that heâs available. He seems to be only half joking. Phil Jackson, baseball coach. How crazy would be if the guy all these NBA teams are chasing made the jump â like a certain star player of his did â to baseball? Maybe Jackson could take over the Dodgers. L.A. fans could get behind that, right? I mean, they've already accepted Magic Johnson as their savior. OK, so Phil Jackson in baseball probably isn't not going to happen, but it is interesting to learn that Jackson is giving advice to MLB managers. Who do you think they are? I dunno, but it sure would be funny if it were Jim Leyland. Let's hope it's not Don Mattingly. That wouldn't bode well for Jackson's coaching prospects. Baseball is back. Don't miss anything. Follow @MikeOz and @bigleaguestew, on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page. Recruit Matt Sokol receives a handwritten note from Michigan State coaches after his commitment [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 5:16 pm] This offseason â or recruiting season, if you will â weâve seen coaches from various schools (mostly Mississippi State) send recruits ridiculous letters in an attempt to get them to commit to their program. Thatâs why it gives us great pleasure to highlight Michigan State, which celebrated in-state tight end recruit Mike Sokol for giving his verbal pledge to the Spartans in a normal manner. There was no ridiculous propaganda, no offers or Swag soda or calling the kid a "Baller," just simple expressions of excitement in a handwritten note from several of the coaches. "We are now a better team." â linebackers/special teams coordinator Mike Tressel. "Welcome Matt - We have great things in front of us here.â â offensive coordinator/running backs coach Dave Warner. Itâs always nice to see a team do something nice for a recruit even if that recruit hasnât officially signed yet and could still be poached by Urban Meyer at Ohio State. - - - H/T Coaching Search Want to join the conversation? Hit us up on Twitter @YahooDrSaturday and be sure to "Like" Dr. Saturday on Facebook for football conversations and stuff you won't see on the blog. Where does Ubaldo Jimenez go from here? [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 5:16 pm] In the middle of April I spent a decent chunk of one Closing Time documenting why Ubaldo Jimenez was a waste of fantasy space. This didn't sit too well with many of the readers, who openly wondered why it was worth discussing in the first place. Ultimately, I accepted you were right. We moved the Jimenez file to the storage area and everyone moved on. And now, shockingly enough, we have to discuss Jimenez again. That's what you get with this enigma. Just when we thought we were out, we get pulled back in. Jimenez has been terrific over his last four starts, collecting three wins and posting a snappy 1.90 ERA. He's walked just eight batters over 23.2 innings and he's struck out 29. There's been a little batted-ball fortune here (.259), but nothing crazy. It's been a moderate slate of opponents: two favorable ones (Royals, Mariners) and two difficult ones (Tigers, Mariners). Jimenez outpitched Justin Verlander in the Motown turn. Here's some zesty Jimenez video from the win over Seattle. Okay, Ubaldo, where's this coming from? We know it's not velocity related; his readouts haven't changed much from April to May. Here's what he said to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Saturday (Hoynes with the Q, Jimenez with the A): Q: What are you doing this year that you were unable to do last year? A: I've been repeating my delivery with every pitch. Last year when I threw one pitch, I couldn't do the same thing on the next one. That's why I couldn't throw a strike. I couldn't be around the strike zone. I couldn't execute my pitches. Q: Is there one thing that you corrected in your delivery that's made the biggest difference? A: I can't say there's only one thing. I had way too many things to improve. My mechanics were all over the place. I was wide open too much, I was leaning too much to the back, my arm was showing too much. But I got it together. Q: What's the biggest difference between this year and last year? A: This year I go to the mound and just think about ge Draft prospect Deshaun Thomas will not give the San Antonio Spurs his phone number [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 5:15 pm] In the world of professional sports, it's common for draft prospects to throw themselves at the mercy of their prospective employers. With most players having dreamed of making the NBA for as long as they can remember, their natural inclination is to do everything possible to please any team with a chance at drafting them. Any question or request is suitable. It's the best way for a player to prove he's ready to buy into the franchise's culture and long-term plans. These actions are so prevalent that any example of a player pushing back against a team request deserves notice. Such is the case with forward Deshaun Thomas, who left Ohio State after his junior season. From Jason Lloyd for Ohio.com (via PBT): If the San Antonio Spurs choose Deshaun Thomas in next monthâs NBA draft, they might have a hard time reaching him to tell him. Thatâs because when the Spurs asked the former Ohio State star for his phone number Wednesday night, he refused to give it to them. Thomas said teams asked him plenty of difficult and interesting questions during his interview process at the combine. But the most interesting, he said, was the fact the Spursâ first question was for his cell phone number and his e-mail address. He gave them the e-mail, but not the phone number. âI canât go around giving it out to everyone,â Thomas said Thursday with a laugh. âNow if they want to draft me, Iâd be happy to give it to them.â There are a few ways to look at Thomas's refusal. By one view, he's being foolishly protective of a largely unimportant personal fact, something that professionals willfully put on business cards. DraftExpress.com rates Thomas as the 45th-best prospect available, which essentially means he's not even guaranteed of being selected in June's draft. Logically, Thomas should accede to any request a team makes, whether that involves handing out a phone number or answering more personal information. If he really cares about getting a job, he'll submit to the pro Doc Five: Players who could keep Johnny Manziel from another Heisman – No. 5, Jadeveon Clowney [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 4:50 pm] This offseason we will count down various topics from Monday through Friday, bringing you the top five of the important and definitely some not so important issues in college football. It's the Doc Five, every week until we will thankfully have actual games to discuss. PLAYERS WHO COULD KEEP JOHNNY MANZIEL FROM ANOTHER HEISMAN NO. 5, JADEVEON CLOWNEY We'd like to put South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney higher. He's likely the best player in college football regardless of position. Anyone who really understands football appreciates how good he is, and how he impacts games. But let's be honest. History says voters are incapable of giving the Heisman Trophy to a purely defensive player. Charles Woodson would not have won the award without playing some offense and returning punts for Michigan in 1997. We don't think Clowney will be doing either in 2013 (though he did have that catch in the spring game ... ). The first Heisman Trophy was given out in 1935, and since then there hasn't been one winner who has played exclusively on defense. It's literally inconceivable that through all those decades, not once was a defensive player the most outstanding in the sport over a season. But not one has ever gotten enough votes to win the Heisman. It's a shame. So while Clowney is probably the best player in the nation, or at least second to Johnny Manziel, ranking him higher on the list would probably be foolish. He's not going to win the award unless he does something really special this season. That said, if anyone is capable of something really special, it's Clowney. His famous hit in the Outback Bowl (and the incredible season that led up to it) gives him more Heisman momentum going into a season than any defensive player has ever had. That helps. Clowney would have to put up a statistic that forces voters to really consider him over all the quarterbacks and their easily sortable numbers. The best guess is Clowney has to hit 20 sacks for that to happen. If he can Kansas gets even stronger with the addition of coveted transfer Tarik Black [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 4:33 pm] Bill Self already landed the nation's most coveted high school recruit last week. Now the Kansas coach has also received a commitment from one of the most prized transfers on the market. Tarik Black, a 6-foot-9, 260-pound big man who played at Memphis the past three years, has chosen Kansas over Duke, Oregon and Georgetown, among others, CBSSports.com reported Monday. The rising senior has graduated from Memphis and will be eligible immediately for the Jayhawks. It's a testament to the laws of supply and demand that Black had all these powerhouse programs pursuing him considering he lost his starting job at Memphis last season and averaged a modest 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds off the bench. One reason he was in such high demand is there simply weren't many available big men with size and athleticism that teams could plug into their rotation right away. The other is that teams felt he has untapped potential he was never able to fully utilize at Memphis. Once projected as a potential NBA draft pick early in his college career, Black fell out of favor in Memphis because his production plateaued after his freshman season and he was often foul-prone and inconsistent. His NCAA tournament performance was a microcosm of his Memphis career: 12 points and seven rebounds on perfect 5 of 5 shooting against Saint Mary's in a round of 64 victory gave way to six points, two rebounds and four fouls in a loss to Michigan State two days later. Nonetheless, Black may yet be a significant addition for Kansas if a change of scenery and Self's history of success developing big men can help. With all five starters from last season graduating or turning pro and a wealth of young talent set to play immediately, Kansas had a clear-cut need for a veteran big man it can plug into its rotation. Black will team with promising sophomore Perry Ellis, reserve Jamari Traylor and shot-blocking freshman Joel Embiid to form a talented and versatile frontcourt nucleus. It's a bit surprising Black would J.R. Smith wants to retire as a New York Knick, is maybe not built for such a thing [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:45 pm] Pending free agent J.R. Smith has been an enigma since entering the NBA in 2005. On the basis of pure talent, he should be one of the top wing producers in the league, and he often looks like exactly that. Yet Smith has never managed to put together a consistent string of performances to prove himself worthy of making him the cornerstone of a franchise. He got closest this season with the New York Knicks, earning Sixth Man of the Year honors and receiving standard-issue statements from media and team officials regarding his improved maturity. In true J.R. fashion, he followed that career peak with a sort of greatest hits compilation of his worst tendencies, to the point where many Knicks fans begged for head coach Mike Woodson to bench a player who only a few weeks before seemed essential to fulfilling their postseason aspirations. Nevertheless, Smith has the chance to parlay his award-winning season into a significant deal this summer. Despite the troubles this postseason, J.R. wants to stay with the Knicks for as long as he can. From Peter Botte for the New York Daily News (via SLAM): Whether Smith, 27, gets a chance to redeem himself in New York is uncertain. He is expected to opt out of the final year of his below-market value contract ($2.8 million per year) and test free agency this summer. The most the Knicks can offer the Jersey product is an âearly Birdâ exception starting at $4.9 million per year over four years, but there might be a team with more salary-cap room willing to pay Smith substantially more. âI want to retire a Knick. I donât want to go anywhere else,â Smith said. âI love my teammates, I love my coaches. I was standing in the locker room looking at my jersey after the game and just knowing that I donât want to be anywhere else except in the orange and blue. Weâll see.â Still, when asked if heâd be willing to take less money to remain in New York, Smith hedged and added, âI havenât even thought about all that, that far. Barclays Center pumps in a ‘signature scent’ for its patrons to enjoy during Brooklyn Nets games [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:30 pm] The Brooklyn Nets just about define the superficial experience. The team was put together by a billionaire owner that promised a championship in spite of a lacking basketball resume, before tossing tens of millions of dollars at a general manager in Billy King who has long made a habit of going after the biggest names available. Part-owner Jay-Z helped shape the teamâs look and image, despite only owning a small percentage of the team, and not even making it out of the franchiseâs first year before selling his shares. And the teamâs arena, the Barclays Center, followed the latest trends with its exterior look in spite of some quizzical glances from Brooklyn natives. Perhaps they were reacting to the smell of the place. On Monday Leslie Albrecht at DNAInfoNewYork.com put together a great piece on the canned smells the Center wafts in through its ventilation system. Itâs not an offensive or even obtrusive odor, nor an obvious one, but itâs ⦠something. And definitely noticeable. From Alberchtâs piece: As the last few fans rushed through the arena's front doors, the brisk breeze that followed them gave way to a distinct aroma: a fresh-smelling fragrance with citrus notes that some call the arena's "signature scent," in the words of one Twitter observer. What is the smell? A source familiar with the matter said it's the work of ScentAir, a company that manufactures custom fragrances pumped into the air at theme parks, stores and hotels around the world. The odors function like mood music for your nose. They're meant to enhance the consumer experience and build brand identities. [â¦] Members of the Prospect Nights meet-up group spent a recent evening puzzling over why the Barclays Center "smells like perfume," according to one member. Members weren't complaining about the scent, but it definitely tickled their curiosity. "It became a topic of conversation and something they wanted to get to the bottom of," said the local resident, who didn't want his nam Parma’s Massimo Gobbi scores fantastic volley from ingenious free kick routine [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:23 pm] Before Sunday, Massimo Gobbi had scored just one goal for Parma in three seasons of service, but the left-back doubled his tally on the final day of the Serie A season in spectacular fashion. Visiting already-relegated Palermo with the score goalless after 38 minutes, Chilean midfielder Jaime Valdés chipped a free kick to the edge of the box, where Gobbi let off an unstoppable left-footed rocket into the top-left corner. It's the kind of routine that rarely makes it past the training ground, and is probably the most original free kick of the season. Well, the most original free kick of the season that actually resulted in a goal... NHL Tooth Watch: Cataloging all the lost fangs in the 2013 playoffs [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:21 pm] The road to the Stanley Cup is fraught with peril, and much of that peril happens in and around the mouth. Hockey players earned the gap-toothed stereotype fair and square, so it's never all that surprising when a player takes a puck, glove or stick to the mouth and loses a few teeth in the process -- but this postseason has been off the charts. The Montreal Canadiens/Ottawa Senators series alone stole seven teeth from the mouths of four players. And it didn't end there. Players have been losing teeth all over the place. It's almost too much to keep track of. But we have to try, friends. We must. And with that in mind, we introduce NHL tooth watch, our running tally of who's losing teeth and how many they're losing. Total Teeth Lost this postseason: 15 And here are the incidents that got us to where we are: BRENT BURNS - May 16 Brent Burns came into the 2013 season looking pretty close to homeless, and after taking a punch to the face at the bottom of a scrum late in Game 2 of the Sharks' series with the Kings, he looked even moreso. He lost two teeth in the fracas. But hey, it could have been worse. Heck, it has been worse for Burns. He lost four teeth after taking a helmet to the face in December of 2010. Teeth lost: 2 *** JOHN MOORE - May 16 The New York Rangers' defenceman lost 6 teeth -- 4 upper and 2 lower -- in Game 1 of the Rangers' series with the Boston Bruins after taking a puck to the face. His quote, just prior to playing Game 2 like nothing had happened: "It feels fine." Teeth lost: 6 *** JEAN-GABRIEL PAGEAU - May 5 Pageau's first playoff goal was unforgettable for a number of reasons. It turned out to be one of three he would score on the night, for one thing. For another, he traded a tooth for it. Just as he shot the puck, P.K. Subban's stick caught him in the mouth. Pageau celebrated the goal by spitting out blood and enamel. Welcome to the playoffs, kid. Teeth lost: 1 *** CAREY PRICE - May 3 One night after his opponent at the other end, Cr California pitcher tosses 66-pitch perfect game in state playoff win [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:17 pm] Itâs one thing to throw a perfect game. Itâs another entirely to do so in the manner that Michael Strem did. As reported by the San Jose Mercury News, Strem tossed a perfect game in a 2-0 victory against Monta Vista (Calif.) High, leading Mountain View (Calif.) St. Francis School on to the second round of the California Interscholastic Federation Central Coast Section Division I playoffs. Incredibly, Strem retired the 21 batters he faced on just 66 pitches, an average of just more than 3 pitchers per batter. According to the Mercury News, 48 of Stremâs offerings were strikes, with the St. Francis ace finishing the game with a total of 8 strikeouts. As it turns out, itâs an awfully good thing that Strem was so effective. If he wasnât, his team wouldnât be playing anymore. The game remained a 0-0 stalemate until the sixth inning, when a single by St. Francis batter Mark Cardinalli drove in the gameâs two runs with a single through the infield. Naturally, Strem isnât the first high school ace to toss a perfect game. Still, to spin the gem he did in the playoffs, with the efficiency of his pitch count is some achievement. Of course, given the competition ahead of St. Francis, he may have to spin some more magic if they are to keep advancing. Given what he pulled off against Monta Vista, one would be wise not to doubt Stremâs effectiveness. Want more on the best stories in high school sports? Visit RivalsHigh or connect with Prep Rally on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. The 10-man rotation, starring many rappers name-checking Alonzo Mourning [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:15 pm] A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out. C: Young Braised's SoundCloud. This appears to be nearly four months old, but it's new to me, via my associate Eric Freeman and our pal Bethlehem Shoals â a rock-solid 2 1/2 minutes of hip-hop references to former Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning. There's NSFW language in there, so listener beware, but for those of listening age, this is simply glorious. Bless you, Young Braised. PF: For the Win. Charting the expansion of Manu Ginobili's bald spot. Soon, it will encompass the Earth. SF: Grantland and HoopSpeak. Smart and kind gentlemen Zach Lowe and Brett Koremenos review Matt Bonner's four-3-pointer performance in the San Antonio Spurs' blowout Game 1 win and try to figure out whether the reserve big man's breakout was the result of dynamite San Antonio execution or porous Memphis Grizzlies defense. The answer, it seems, is "Yes." SG: SB Nation. Picking up on that great offensive execution/poor defensive reaction theme, Mike Prada looks at how some trickery in the Spurs' bigs' screen-setting sent the Grizzlies spinning time and again. PG: DraftExpress. With days of measurements and testing at the 2013 NBA draft combine now in the books, Matt Kamalsky looks at the results and tries to figure out which prospects' prospects were hurt and helped most by all that running and jumping. 6th: Forum Blue and Gold. With Dwight Howard's impending free agency already â already â a topic of conversation, Darius Soriano considers the inevitability of the 27-year-old center receiving a full-length maximum contract offer from multiple teams and wonders whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers â who can outspend fellow suitors by about $30 million for Howard's services, thanks to the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement â should b Ross Turnbull’s son continues tradition of kids in Chelsea kits doing adorable things [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:10 pm] While retiring defender Paulo Ferreira spoke to the Stamford Bridge crowd after Chelsea's final match of the season, backup goalkeeper Ross Turnbull's two-year-old son Josh became one of the highlights of the year. Wearing his full kit, Josh dribbled a ball towards goal all by himself. He stumbled on top of the ball at one point, but continued on as the crowd urged him to shoot. When the ball finally passed the goal line, a cheer erupted and after a brief hesitation, Josh turned back toward the players and their families in the center of the pitch and raised his arms in triumph. The moment was reminiscent of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic's young son Stefan scoring a similar goal at the end of the season two years ago... Then there was also the Chelsea mascot who pulled a prank on Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard before a match several years before that... Finally, there was the three-year-old girl from Japan who sang "Blue is the Color" outside Stamford Bridge in a full Chelsea goalkeeper's kit... And with that, we have reached cuteness overload. Former Wyoming legislator worked to legalized MMA, now getting in the cage [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:09 pm] As a state legislator in Wyoming, Bryan Pedersen helped author the bill to legalize and regulate MMA in his home state. This weekend, he will test that bill by fighting at the Colosseum Fight Series, the first fights in Cheyenne since the bill passed. Pedersen, who is 38 years old, has trained in MMA for the past four years. Like many fighters, he originally tried out the sport for fitness reasons only. But once MMA was allowed in his state, and Cheyenne was set to host fights, Pedersen couldn't help but say yes to an offer to fight on the CFS card. "This is not something I normally do," he said to the Wyoming Star-Tribune. "But I really believe in the sport." He served for six years in the Wyoming state legislature. Now a financial consultant, he plans on making this both his debut and retirement bout. The weigh-ins will take place at a familiar venue for Pedersen -- the steps of the Wyoming State Capitol Building. Pedersen is taking the fight seriously, as he drives an hour and a half daily to Easton Training Center in Colorado, the training home of UFC veteran Eliot Marshall. "I have a goal," he said. "Without a goal, you wouldnât do it. It creates a sense of urgency and panic. Because every day Iâm not training, my opponent is probably getting better. And Iâm not." He's the latest government official to set his sights on the cage, though Pedersen appears to be taking his fight more seriously than the two mayors in south Florida who are planning a bout. Perhaps MMA should become part of the legislative process. Former Wyoming legislator worked to legalize MMA, now getting in the cage [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 3:09 pm] As a state legislator in Wyoming, Bryan Pedersen helped author the bill to legalize and regulate MMA in his home state. This weekend, he will test that bill by fighting at the Colosseum Fight Series, the first fights in Cheyenne since the bill passed. Pedersen, who is 38 years old, has trained in MMA for the past four years. Like many fighters, he originally tried out the sport for fitness reasons only. But once MMA was allowed in his state, and Cheyenne was set to host fights, Pedersen couldn't help but say yes to an offer to fight on the CFS card. "This is not something I normally do," he said to the Wyoming Star-Tribune. "But I really believe in the sport." He served for six years in the Wyoming state legislature. Now a financial consultant, he plans on making this both his debut and retirement bout. The weigh-ins will take place at a familiar venue for Pedersen -- the steps of the Wyoming State Capitol Building. Pedersen is taking the fight seriously, as he drives an hour and a half daily to Easton Training Center in Colorado, the training home of UFC veteran Eliot Marshall. "I have a goal," he said. "Without a goal, you wouldnât do it. It creates a sense of urgency and panic. Because every day Iâm not training, my opponent is probably getting better. And Iâm not." He's the latest government official to set his sights on the cage, though Pedersen appears to be taking his fight more seriously than the two mayors in south Florida who are planning a bout. Perhaps MMA should become part of the legislative process. NHL 14 cover vote: Datsyuk, Brodeur, Tavares and Bobrovsky are final four [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 2:55 pm] The last goalie to make the cover of EA Sportsâ NHL series? John Vanbiesbrouck of the Florida Panthers for NHL 97, of course. Which brings us to the latest update for the NHL 14 fan vote, and the fact that two of the four players remaining in the vote are men with masks: In one half of the bracket, itâs Marty Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils against Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings; on the other half, itâs New York Islanders star John Tavares against Columbus Blue Jackets Vezina favorite Sergei Bobrovsky. Datsyuk barely beat Joffrey Lupul in the quarterfinals. Tavares ousted Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers. Brodeur beat out James van Riemsdyk, while Bobrovsky eliminated Taylor Hall. Were we to wager on the final two: Datsyuk vs. Bobrovsky. Although an all-goalie final would be aces. Fans can vote an unlimited number of times at NHL.com/CoverVote. The round closes on May 26 at 11:59pm ET. This year fans can double their voting power by using these player specific hashtags on âTwitter Vote Thursdays.â Each player specific hashtag used on Twitter on Thursdays will be counted as two official votes. Fans can join the conversation about the cover vote every day by using #NHL14CoverVote on Twitter and Instagram. Finally, here's a ramble screed about how the NHL 14 vote is fixed. Paging Mr. Mulder ... Mr. Fox Mulder. Dodgers say they have ‘no plans’ to fire Don Mattingly … but would they tell us if they did? [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 2:51 pm] With the Los Angeles Dodgers in last place in the NL West with a 17-25 record and a 4-11 record thus far in May, speculation is rising to new levels that manager Don Mattingly might soon be out of a job. Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports wrote a column Sunday with the ominous headline, "Ax soon to fall for LA's Mattingly," citing a scout and his own baseball instincts. The Dodgers, however, are denying that. The Los Angeles Times reports the team has "no plans" to fire Mattingly "when the team returns home Thursday or any time before then." That comes from an unnamed club official, spoken with Sunday night after the Dodgers lost to the Atlanta Braves 5-2, completing a three-game weekend sweep. It's funny, though, because when was the last time you heard, "Oh, yes, we DO have plans to fire our manager and we're going to do it on Wednesday?" Having "no plans" could mean they just don't have the press conference scheduled yet. Or haven't gotten around to ordering the "goodbye" cake. Here's more from Bill Shaikin of the Times: There has been some thought about whether the Dodgers should dismiss Trey Hillman, the bench coach picked by Mattingly. It is uncertain whether removing a coach would be considered the best solution at this point, or whether the Dodgers' plans would change if the team does not fare well in a series that starts Monday in Milwaukee. So, in essence, Don Mattingly isn't on the hot seat ... but he is totally on the hot seat. Should we start a what-day-will-he-get-fired pool? I'll take May 27. Baseball is back. Don't miss anything. Follow @MikeOz and @bigleaguestew, on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page. Aroldis Chapman eats ’18′ Cuban pastries filled with cream cheese and guava, blows save [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 2:44 pm] What does it take for Aroldis Chapman of the Cincinnati Reds to blow a save for a second consecutive appearance? How about Chapman being bloated from binging on "18," he said, of the yummiest Cuban pastries anyone could stuff in their face Sunday before the Reds faced the Phillies? And it was one of the Phillies announcers, also a Cuban expatriate, who sabotaged Chapman by bringing him the goodies! That's the story Phillies' Spanish-language broadcaster Rickie Ricardo told the 94-FM WIP morning show Monday. Friends with Ricardso since he came to the U.S., Chapman had asked him to pick up two boxes (100 total) of flaky Cuban pastries filled with cream cheese and guava from a place down in Union City, N.J. â described by Ricardo as a "Cuban stronghold." Two or three of these things would clog your arteries and send you into a food coma. Only, Chapman didn't stop at two or three, Ricardo said: âCould you imagine cream cheese and guava on a baked pastry? Well Chapman asked me for a box of 100, two boxes of 50. When I saw him on Sunday morning before the game, he was in the clubhouse, he had just eaten about 18 of them. He couldnât breathe! I looked at my partner, I said, âheâs ripe for the taking today.â The "Ripe Guava," or the "Flaky Pastry," is now the Philadelphia nickname for Chapman, who had come in with a 2.41 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings. Chapman, who can hit 100 mph on the radar gun with no problem, and not only while driving, was in the 95 mph neighborhood as the Phillies rallied for 3-2 victory at Citizens Bank Park. That 5 mph could mean a lot. It's up to the rocket scientists to formulate an equation as to how much each pastry cost Chapman from his 100 mph heater. Big BLS H/N: Deadspin Baseball is in full swing! Interact with @AnswerDave, @MikeOz, @Townie813 and@bigleaguestewon Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page! Ronaldinho celebrates goal in cup final by throwing invisible grenade at rival fans [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 20, 2013, 2:41 pm] Ronaldinho scored Atletico-MG's only goal in the second leg of the Mineiro Championship from the penalty spot and his celebration was a unique combination of his love for dance and humor. Atletico-MG beat rivals Cruzeiro 3-0 in the first leg of the final and lost 2-1 in the second, claiming the giant trophy on a 4-2 aggregate score. After Ronaldinho's goal sealed the victory, he led his teammates in a line dance that began with all of them pulling down their shorts. With that out of the way, he then stood along the touchline facing the booing Cruzeiro supporters and tossed an invisible grenade at them. He even mimed the blowback from the explosion. Only Ronaldinho can make an antagonizing gesture filled with implied violence seem fun. |