The Associate Press recently published a story about how more women are becoming strippers and even entering the porn business because of the poor economy...many lost their jobs and are in need of fast cash... "Employers across the adult entertainment industry say they’re seeing an influx of applications from women who, like Brown, are attracted by the promise of flexible schedules and fast cash. Many have college degrees and held white-collar jobs until the economy soured." ... Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The poor economy has led some women to become strippers
The Associate Press recently published a story about how more women are becoming strippers and even entering the porn business because of the poor economy...many lost their jobs and are in need of fast cash... "Employers across the adult entertainment industry say they’re seeing an influx of applications from women who, like Brown, are attracted by the promise of flexible schedules and fast cash. Many have college degrees and held white-collar jobs until the economy soured." ... 
Monday, March 30, 2009
Bill Raftery - the hardest working man in college basketball
You got Dickie V as probably the most famous college basketball analyst...and Clark Kellogg replaced Billy Packer at CBS...but my favorite college basketball analyst is Raft - Bill Raftery...he is the most under-rated hoops guy on television...this guy does like 5-6 basketball games a week...and he is not ashamed in being the color man for a small college basketball game...where there is college hoops, you will find Raft...he may never do a Duke-North Carolina game nor a Final Four, but he is still my main man behind the mike...Richard Sandomir of The New York Times wrote about Raft in last Thursday's paper... "Bill Raftery sings of onions and nylons, sweet kisses and lingerie, small change and nickel-and-dimers. The CBS and ESPN college basketball analyst’s big fellas take it to the tin and his little guys have big tickers. His puppies get set, get organized and get off the bus. He says that Chiclets must be counted and bounce passes may lead to ecstasy." ... Sunday, March 29, 2009
Lou Saban, former head coach of Buffalo, Denver, and VP of Yankees, dies
The Associated Press reports that longtime and well-traveled former football head coach Lou Saban died on Sunday morning... he was 87-years-old...among his numerous stops as head coach, he will most be remembered for leading the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos...Saban also served as president of the New York Yankees from 1981-82...Who will win the title: UConn, Nova, Sparty, or UNC?
Pitt isn't it...The Ville came up empty...and The Cuse's magical run is over...we are down the Final Four - Michigan State vs. Connecticut and Villanova vs. North Carolina...who is going to win the National Championship?...be a real American and VOTE NOW!!!!...
Johnny Blanchard, former New York Yankee, dies
While going through this week's New York Times, I came across the obit of former New Yankees back-up catcher Johnny Blanchard...Blanchard died on Wednesday, March 25th... "Johnny Blanchard, a power-hitting catcher and outfielder known as Super Sub who played in five consecutive World Series for the Yankees in the 1960s, died Wednesday in Robbinsdale, Minn. He was 76." ...UConn's Kemba Walker gets a haircut to help his game
Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant writes how a little trim got Kemba Walker going... "We were nowhere near a barbershop, and I do cut my own hair," said Townsell, a member of the UConn academic support staff. "He's not complaining right now." ... Jeff Jacobs
Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette writes how the Pitt players will one day appreciate their special season... "But today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year and for many years to come, those players will remember only the hurt they felt at the finish of their 78-76 loss to Villanova last night at TD Banknorth Garden, their time together gone forever." ...Ron Cook
Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes how Villanova has quietly moved into the Final Four... "It was a game in which Villanova was matched against a team that might have some superior individual players, a game that required them to be fundamentally sound. That was particularly in evidence at the free-throw line, where the Wildcats made 22 of 23 attempts." ...Bob Ford
Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette writes how the Pitt players will one day appreciate their special season... "But today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year and for many years to come, those players will remember only the hurt they felt at the finish of their 78-76 loss to Villanova last night at TD Banknorth Garden, their time together gone forever." ...
Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes how Villanova has quietly moved into the Final Four... "It was a game in which Villanova was matched against a team that might have some superior individual players, a game that required them to be fundamentally sound. That was particularly in evidence at the free-throw line, where the Wildcats made 22 of 23 attempts." ...
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Ramiro Pena may soon be the player who replaces Derek Jeter at shortstop
Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes about Derek Jeter's possible replacement at shortstop in 23-year-old Ramiro Pena... "Jeter's decreased range at shortstop, especially to his left, has been an increasingly hot topic around baseball - which the Yankee high command has pointedly chosen to ignore, because there didn't appear to be any bona fide prospects in the system. That, however, all changed this spring with the emergence of 23-year-old Ramiro Pena, whose dazzling glovework has made him the frontrunner to win the utility infielder's job until Alex Rodriguez comes back in May." ... Kentucky Derby champ Alysheba dies
For the second time in a week, a former Kentucky Derby champion horse dies...the report below is from ESPN.com...
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Alysheba, winner of the 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness and chosen 1988 Horse of the Year, has died. The champion stallion was 25.
The charismatic star, dubbed "America's Horse" by racing fans, Alysheba was euthanized Friday night following a fall in his stall at the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions, where he was buried Saturday.
The son of racing legend Alydar became a sensation for trainer Jack Van Berg and owners Dorothy and Pamela Scharbauer during a brilliant career that included a win in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Classic. He retired as horse racing's all-time money winner with more than $6.6 million in earnings from 11 victories in 26 lifetime starts.
Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, who piloted Alysheba to victory in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, called him "the most talented horse I ever rode."
The talent became evident during Alysheba's stirring Derby win over Bet Twice. He stumbled in the stretch before catching himself to run down his rival in the final yards.
Only upon replay did McCarron realize how close his trip had come to disaster.
"Falling didn't even go through my mind," McCarron said. "I kept thinking there's only one horse left in front of us that was going to prevent us from getting the roses. He just did an incredible job of righting himself. I was focused on keeping my balance and trying to stay on his back."
Van Berg wasn't surprised. Alysheba had a sense of balance and athleticism rarely found on the track.
"He just had unbelievable ability," Van Berg said. "He got a little gust of wind or whatever and got knocked down and he stepped up before Chris knew what hit him. He was remarkable."
Alysheba backed up the Derby win by taking the Preakness. His bid for a Triple Crown ended with a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Belmont, a rare dull performance from a horse who won fans over with his consistency and durability.
Being a bit of a showoff helped. Van Berg said he would get a kick out of seeing Alysheba hop around the paddock before races, preening for the audience.
"He was hard to handle sometimes, but the adrenaline would get flowing and he knew it was time to go," Van Berg said. "He could do things you wouldn't believe."
Namely, bring it every time.
"He always ran his race," McCarron said. "You could count on him giving his best effort, even if he got in trouble or the track condition wasn't to his liking."
One of his greatest performances may have come in defeat. Alysheba lost to 1986 Derby winner Ferdinand in a photo finish at the 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic, a setback that likely cost him Horse of the Year honors.
McCarron said the loss may have been a blessing. Rather than retire to the breeding shed, Alysheba returned to the track as a 4-year-old in 1988, winning six stakes races and getting a measure of revenge in the '88 Classic, beating Seeking the Gold in the early evening gloaming at Churchill Downs.
McCarron remembers seeing signs in the winner's circle proclaiming: "Alysheba for President." The horse certainly seemed to feel like one, carrying himself with the pride of a winner.
"He looked majestic on the track," McCarron said. "He'd stop and let people take photographs. I believe he loved it."
Alysheba retired to stud in Kentucky in 1989 before being sold and sent to Saudi Arabia. He arrived at the Horse Park last fall, joining Cigar -- who broke Alysheba's career earnings record -- in the Hall of Champions.
"He had an aura about him," park spokeswoman Lisa Jackson said.
McCarron said he saw Alysheba two weeks ago and offered his old friend mints while standing out in his paddock.
"He looked fantastic," McCarron said.
The stallion fell in his stall, injuring his right hind femur, and was euthanized Friday night at a medical center in Lexington.
Kathy Hopkins, director of equine operations at the horse park, said Alysheba fell due to a chronic degenerative spinal condition.
"Complicated by his advanced age, this trauma resulted in severe pain," Hopkins said. "The resulting pain and suffering, and the inability to stand unaided, led to a joint decision for euthanasia."
Alysheba is the second champion horse to be euthanized in the past two weeks. Lil E. Tee, who upset heavily favored Arazi to win the 1992 Kentucky Derby, was put down at Old Frankfort Stud in Lexington on March 18 at age 20.
Friday, March 27, 2009
It's all about The Cuse
After tonight we will have the Elite Eight...and here are the last four teams who will complete that bracket...South Regional in Memphis
7:25 #3 Syracuse (28-9) vs. #2 Oklahoma (29-5) {Oklahoma -1}
At times this season it looked like The Cuse was headed for another disappointing season...then came the Big East tourney...I love The Cuse and their warrior mentality...point guard Jonny Flynn (photo) is one bad ass...the Sooners have been steady all season...Blake Griffin is a force...but I am just stunned that he is such a horrible free throw shooter...this will be a nip and tuck game all the way but The Cuse will win...
9:55 #4 Gonzaga (28-5) vs. #1 North Carolina (30-4) {Carolina -9}
The Zags have impressed me in this tourney...they could have buckled against Akron when the Zips had the Zags in a close game...then Gonzaga put the foot on the accelerator and smoked Akron...and what a finish the Zags had against Western Kentucky....we all know about Carolina...what is there to write about them...hmmm, it would not surprise me if Gonzaga wins this game...but I think Carolina edges them by 1 point...take Gonzaga with the points!!!...
Midwest Regional in Indianapolis
7:05 #12 Arizona (21-13) vs. #1 Louisville (30-5) {Louisville -9}
The bracket broke just right for Arizona to get into the Sweet 16...Louisville dominates in this game...give the points and enjoy The Ville in an easy win...
9:35 #3 Kansas (27-7) vs. #2 Michigan State (28-6) {MSU -1.5}
The Spartans have a lot of talent, but at times they seem to go into a funk at least twice during the course of a game...I just can't put my finger on what is their problem...Kansas has had an incredible year after losing all starting five from last year's title team...Sparty wins and cover the points...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Villanova to beat Duke in the Sweet 16
One half of the Sweet 16 goes at it tonight...whoever wins this round of games is half way to the six wins needed to be declared CHAMPIONS!!!...here are my predictions:East Regional in Boston
7:25 #4 Xavier (27-7) vs. #1 Pitt (30-4) {Pitt -7}
The Panthers have not looked like a number one seed so far...Sam Young (photo) had a monster game with 32 points against Okie State...even though the Panthers have struggled at times, their beefy center DeJuan Blair has not been in foul trouble in the first two games of the tourney...look for Pitt to win this game, but take Xavier with the points...
9:55 #3 Villavova (28-7) vs. #2 Duke (30-6) {Duke -2}
Duke caught evern break in the last minute of their win over Texas this past weekend...Duke has not impressed me all year, but somehow they are sitting with 30 wins again...Villanova may have had their scare of the tournament with their comeback against American...the Wildcats whooped UCLA on Saturday...Villanova wins in a slight upset...
West Regional in Glendale
7:05 #5 Purdue (27-9) vs. #1 Connecticut (29-4) {UConn -7)
The Huskies have looked mighty impressive so far...they jumped out to a 10-0 lead against Texas A&M and never looked back...Purdue will provide a battle for most of the game...but in the last 10 minutes the Huskies take over...UConn wins and give the points...
9:35 #3 Missouri (30-6) vs. #2 Memphis (33-3) {Memphis -4.5}
Real quick, name me the head coach of Missouri!!!...if you said Norm Stewart, you are wrong...it is Mike Anderson...and the Tigers are one of the quietest 30 win teams in the last 5 years....I like Memphis a lot...it will be close, but in the end, Memphis wins and barely covers...Mizzou on a teaser will be a good...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Kobe Bryant's wife forces maid to stick hand in a bag of dog crap?
This was just reported by TMZ:
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant are striking back at the maid who accused Vanessa of various abuse on the job -- including an alleged incident where the maid was forced to stick her hand into a bag of dog crap.
The Bryant's lawyers, Loeb & Loeb LLP, just released the following statement on behalf of the couple:
We have learned that a former employee of the Bryants, Maria Jimenez, has filed a complaint against our clients. Ms. Jimenez's outrageous allegations of improper conduct are totally unfounded and patently false. The Bryants intend to vigorously defend against these untruthful allegations and are confident that the baseless nature of the allegations will be proven.
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant are striking back at the maid who accused Vanessa of various abuse on the job -- including an alleged incident where the maid was forced to stick her hand into a bag of dog crap.
The Bryant's lawyers, Loeb & Loeb LLP, just released the following statement on behalf of the couple:
We have learned that a former employee of the Bryants, Maria Jimenez, has filed a complaint against our clients. Ms. Jimenez's outrageous allegations of improper conduct are totally unfounded and patently false. The Bryants intend to vigorously defend against these untruthful allegations and are confident that the baseless nature of the allegations will be proven.
Give me Tyler Hansbrough over Blake Griffin
- Give me Tyler Hansbrough over Blake Griffin anyday...don't get me wrong, Griffin is a darn good player, but he is horrible at the free throw line...with the game on the line I would want the ball in Hansbrough's hands instead of Griffin...that is why Hansbrough is my Player of the Year...
Hansbrough 21.2 ppg; 8.1 rpg; 85% free throw
Griffin 22.5 ppg; 14.4 rpg; 58% free throw
- Kansas head coach Bill Self is my Coach of the Year...think about it, he lost all starting five players from last year's national title team and all he has done is go 25-6 this season...
- Since winning back-to-back titles, Florida's Billy Donovan has missed the Big Dance the last two years...maybe he is not the next great head coach that we all thought he was just two years ago...
- One of the best blogs is The Money Shot...G$ often writes about his upcoming wedding and how the life of being a groom sucks...this is some funny shit...check out his latest rant on March 18th...Money Shot
- Kelly Clarkson was always been a thick girl, but now she has become fat...however, I do like how she is handling it...she admits she likes to eat and is unapologetic about it...
- Add crumbled feta to spice up any meal...
- People might as well realize that Charles Barkley will never change - and that is a good thing...
- I was disappointed that Detroit Tigers star outfielder Magglio Ordonez supports Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez...Chavez is an idiot...
Hansbrough 21.2 ppg; 8.1 rpg; 85% free throw
Griffin 22.5 ppg; 14.4 rpg; 58% free throw
- Kansas head coach Bill Self is my Coach of the Year...think about it, he lost all starting five players from last year's national title team and all he has done is go 25-6 this season...
- Since winning back-to-back titles, Florida's Billy Donovan has missed the Big Dance the last two years...maybe he is not the next great head coach that we all thought he was just two years ago...
- One of the best blogs is The Money Shot...G$ often writes about his upcoming wedding and how the life of being a groom sucks...this is some funny shit...check out his latest rant on March 18th...
- Kelly Clarkson was always been a thick girl, but now she has become fat...however, I do like how she is handling it...she admits she likes to eat and is unapologetic about it...
- Add crumbled feta to spice up any meal...
- People might as well realize that Charles Barkley will never change - and that is a good thing...
- I was disappointed that Detroit Tigers star outfielder Magglio Ordonez supports Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez...Chavez is an idiot...
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
LeBron James does yoga
Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer writes how yoga is a big part of LeBron James' regime... "When James first came into the NBA at the age of 18 he didn't even tape his ankles, sometimes ate McDonald's an hour before tipoff and his main use for ice was cooling beverages." ...30 years ago Magic's Spartans beat Bird's Sycamores
Larry Keith wrote this article in the April 2, 1979 edition of Sports Illustrated after Magic John
son's Michigan State Spartans beat the undefeated Indiana State Sycamores led by Larry Bird... "Last Monday night, in the championship game, Michigan State confirmed a notion that had been gaining credence as the NCAA tournament progressed and State rolled to one easy win after another. The Spartans, despite a 21-6 regular-season record, are a superb team—perhaps even a great one—largely because of their perfect mix of superstars in the spotlight and supernumeraries in the shadows. Together, they accomplished what Earvin Johnson and Gregory Kelser could never have done by themselves—indeed, what no team had been able to do this season. The Spartans caged Larry Bird and ended the 33-game winning streak of Indiana State 75-64 to win their first national basketball title." ...Sunday, March 22, 2009
The greatest sports figure to play in the Steel City
Because of work, I took a little break from blogging over the last few weeks but now I am ready to start up again...Stiles Points will be doing a new feature called, "The City's Greatest" in which I will ask your opinions about various athletes, sports moments, and other items focusing on a specific city...to start, the first question involves the City of Pittsburgh:Who is the greatest sports figure to ever play in the City of Pittsburgh?
Please take a minute to vote and leave a comment about why you voted for that sports figure...I have provided the names of some Pittsburgh sports figures, but you can vote for someone not listed below...the criteria is based on however you, the reader, interpret it to be...there are no wrong responses...the purpose is to share views and have a spirited debate...
A-Rod involved with hookers and former Manhattan madam Kristin Davis
The New York Daily News reports that a former New York City madam supplied hookers for Alex Rodriguez... "A former Manhattan madam who supplied Eliot Spitzer with hookers also counted Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez as a customer - and found him so charming she dated him herself for free, former employees of the call-girl agency tell the Daily News. A-Rod wooed ex-madam Kristin Davis (photo, above) with flowers, jewelry, persistence and heated e-mails, according to the sources." ...
Saturday, March 21, 2009
President Obama gets a free pass on comment about his bowling and Special Olympics
First off, I have been a strong supporter of Barack Obama from when he first announced he was running for president...however, I was extremely disappointed in the comment that he made about his bowling being worthy of the Special Olympics when he appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday...Obama is a savvy, smart person who should know better than to make a comment like that - even if it was meant to be funny...
The funny part is that the liberal media has downplayed this gaffe...where is the stand-up knight-in-shining armour - Keith Olbermann?...if former president George W. Bush made that comment, Olbermann would have been on his high horse drilling Bush as this stupid, inconsiderate moron who is out-of-touch with the plight of the weak and poor...Bush undoubtedly would have made Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World"...
But this came out of the mouth of a Democratic president...so the mainstream media briefly mentioned it during their newscast and now it is forgotten...
Honestly, I think what Obama said is worse than when Don Imus called the Rutgers women's basketball team "a bunch of nappy headed ho's"...
Obama should be held to a higher standard than just some talk show wonk, so therefore, he should have been grilled on this more than he has...imagine if a white person would have made a derogatory remark that was meant to be funny about an African-American, Jew, or Hispanic...the world would have came to an end for that person...
I know Obama did not mean for his comment to be hurtful, but the fact remains, it was...he got his free pass...the next time he makes a stupid comment the liberal media should grill him just as they did the former president for his numerous blunders...
Monday, March 16, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Free throws have not gotten better over time
Mark Price may have been one of the most consistent free throw shooters, but John Branch of The New York Times wrote an interesting article about how free throw shooting percentages as a whole have not increased over the last 50 years... "Basketball in the United States has changed in myriad ways over the decades, from flat-footed set shots to dunks, from crotch-hugging uniforms to baggy knee-length shorts, from the dominance of American players to the recent infusion of international stars. But one thing has remained remarkably constant: the rate at which players make free throws." ... Monday, March 9, 2009
Al McGuire: a street smart guy from the Big Apple
Last week Stiles Points remembered the life of Jimmy Valvano...this week, we look back at former Marquette basketball coach and college basketball analyst Al McGuire...McGuire was a different bird...he was eccentric...but he was "real"...he was streetsmart fella from New York City who got his first break at little Belmont Abbey College...Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly wrote this wonderful piece about McGuire just before he died...this appeared in the September 18, 2000 edition of Sports Illustrated...."Al McGuire never liked funerals. "Why wait until the guy's dead?" he'd ask. "Buy him a drink while he's alive!" So with McGuire lying in a hospice outside Milwaukee—leukemia whittling him to 115 pounds and dropping—let's raise our glasses: Here's to Alfred Emanuel McGuire of Rockaway Beach, N.Y. There never was, never could be, never will be anybody else like him."...
Below is the obit that appeared in Sports Illustrated after McGuire died on January 26, 2001...
WE COULD recite the details of the life of Al McGuire, the former college basketball coach and TV commentator who died of a blood disorder last Friday at age 72, but he wouldn't want us to. McGuire didn't believe in details. He blithely forgot names, of players in games he telecast and of those on his own team. Jerome Whitehead, a star of McGuire's 1977 NCAA champion Marquette team, was forever Whitehorse. So was Whitehead's father, a minister who must have frowned upon realizing that White Horse is a brand of scotch.
But both Whiteheads surely knew the futility of correcting the man whose rules for life and basketball had been formed in the taverns and playgrounds of Rockaway Beach, N.Y. Forever fuzzy on the particulars, McGuire never erred in the broad strokes. When he said, "Just show me the numbers," he didn't mean that literally, only that what interested him was the metaphorical bottom line.
"He had a gift for seeing the wonder and the goodness of God's creation, sometimes in the most unlikely places, and for sharing his delight in that discovery with those around him," Robert Wild, the Jesuit priest who is Marquette's president, said last week. Wild was no doubt referring to the coach's habit of telling lunch companions, "If the waitress has dirty ankles, the chili's terrific."
McGuire quit right after he and Whitehorse won that NCAA title 24 years ago, so his basketball legacy requires some brushing up on. He'll be remembered for his sensibility, including that picturesque urban argot of which Dick Vitale's is wincingly derivative. He was without peer as a game coach. "I don't know basketball," he said. "I feel basketball. Drop me in the middle of a game, and I could manage it by the ebb and flow."
He won his title because the button-down guy on the other bench, North Carolina's Dean Smith—who lost a lead after ordering his Tar Heels into a four-corners delay—didn't understand what McGuire did: that basketball resists excessive organization. He had the cojones and self-possession to walk away from the summit of the clipboard racket in midlife.
McGuire didn't let details encumber him. He didn't let basketball do so, either.
Below are some of the great quotes from McGuire...
"When I was losing, they called me nuts. When I was winning they called me eccentric.”
"If the waitress has dirty ankles, the chili should be good.”
"When a guy takes off his coat, he's not going to fight. When a guy takes off his wristwatch, watch out!”
"Winning is overrated. The only time it is really important is in surgery and war.”
"I think everyone should go to college and get a degree and then spend six months as a bartender and six months as a cabdriver. Then they would really be educated.”
Finally, I can't leave you without the famous dance that Al McGuire did with the Syracuse basketball team after they won the regional finals to head to the Final Four...this is great 1:30 clip!!!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
David Barrett and One Shining Moment
It's that time of year - ONE SHINING MOMENT!!!...
Sports fans have heard the anthem of college basketball since its debut in 1987 when Indiana beat Syracuse for the title...here is a little information about the famous song...the lyrics were written by David Barrett of Ann Arbor, Michigan...
"Writing this song changed my life. Strange how that is so. I mean; the writing came so effortlessly. I knew immediately after that I had something special on my hands. In fact I got up from the piano and went immediately to the phone and called a friend and said... "Glen I just wrote a great song." It was almost like... "where did this come from?" In any case, the song opened all sorts of doors for me in a professional sense. But on a personal note, it also showed me to write about what mattered to me. I mean, I just wrote it because I thought it was worth writing. I learned to trust that. For years I had been listening to what others thought was valid. It was this song that made it clear to me that my job was to write about what I know, and tell the truth about that... Simple."
Barrett wrote the song after seeing Larry Bird star for Indiana State in the 1979 NCAA tournament...CBS originally planned to debut the song after Super Bowl XXI...however, the game ran later and cut into the primetime show that was to be on after the big game...so CBS scrapped it... CBS then asked Barrett for use of the song after the 1987 NCAA championship game...Barrett had to change the opening lyrics from "The ball is kicked," to "The ball is tipped."...
CBS Sports have screwed around with various versions of the song...they have had Teddy Pendergrass then Luther Vandross sing it...then they tampered with the melody and added a bunch of graphic bullshit...to me, the best version is the original from 1987 when Barrett provided the vocals...
One of the best parts of the CBS telecast was often overshadowed by One Shining Moment...before the One Shining Moment montage, CBS would show a live shot of the winning team cutting down the nets as the credits rolled across the television and a musical piece played on the piano...that segment was great to watch because the viewer got to see the raw emotion of the event - from the players to the cheerleaders to the parents in the stands....also, no matter who was part of the team, the star, bench warmer, coach, manager, etc. each would take the walk up the ladder and cut a piece of the nets...think about it, every little kid dreams of cutting down the nets...the clip below is from the 1987 title game between Indiana and Syracuse...watch for the Indiana players and fans celebrating as the Syracuse players sit dejected on the bench...that is pure raw emotion...
This 2:00 piece is followed by the original and first One Shining Moment from 1987...I thought these snippets were great, so look for them:
1:58 - the Phantom Friar from Providence
3:01 - Jim Boeheim getting surprised with a Gatorade bath
3:15 - A young Rick Pitino waiting with open arms as one of his Providence players comes running for a hug - that player is Billy Donovan
3:17 - look for the UNLV team manager who high steps it - he has a tie and long pants
3:55 - the Syracuse cheerleader who gives that nervous look - check out her hair
Sports fans have heard the anthem of college basketball since its debut in 1987 when Indiana beat Syracuse for the title...here is a little information about the famous song...the lyrics were written by David Barrett of Ann Arbor, Michigan...
"Writing this song changed my life. Strange how that is so. I mean; the writing came so effortlessly. I knew immediately after that I had something special on my hands. In fact I got up from the piano and went immediately to the phone and called a friend and said... "Glen I just wrote a great song." It was almost like... "where did this come from?" In any case, the song opened all sorts of doors for me in a professional sense. But on a personal note, it also showed me to write about what mattered to me. I mean, I just wrote it because I thought it was worth writing. I learned to trust that. For years I had been listening to what others thought was valid. It was this song that made it clear to me that my job was to write about what I know, and tell the truth about that... Simple."
Barrett wrote the song after seeing Larry Bird star for Indiana State in the 1979 NCAA tournament...CBS originally planned to debut the song after Super Bowl XXI...however, the game ran later and cut into the primetime show that was to be on after the big game...so CBS scrapped it... CBS then asked Barrett for use of the song after the 1987 NCAA championship game...Barrett had to change the opening lyrics from "The ball is kicked," to "The ball is tipped."...
CBS Sports have screwed around with various versions of the song...they have had Teddy Pendergrass then Luther Vandross sing it...then they tampered with the melody and added a bunch of graphic bullshit...to me, the best version is the original from 1987 when Barrett provided the vocals...
One of the best parts of the CBS telecast was often overshadowed by One Shining Moment...before the One Shining Moment montage, CBS would show a live shot of the winning team cutting down the nets as the credits rolled across the television and a musical piece played on the piano...that segment was great to watch because the viewer got to see the raw emotion of the event - from the players to the cheerleaders to the parents in the stands....also, no matter who was part of the team, the star, bench warmer, coach, manager, etc. each would take the walk up the ladder and cut a piece of the nets...think about it, every little kid dreams of cutting down the nets...the clip below is from the 1987 title game between Indiana and Syracuse...watch for the Indiana players and fans celebrating as the Syracuse players sit dejected on the bench...that is pure raw emotion...
This 2:00 piece is followed by the original and first One Shining Moment from 1987...I thought these snippets were great, so look for them:
1:58 - the Phantom Friar from Providence
3:01 - Jim Boeheim getting surprised with a Gatorade bath
3:15 - A young Rick Pitino waiting with open arms as one of his Providence players comes running for a hug - that player is Billy Donovan
3:17 - look for the UNLV team manager who high steps it - he has a tie and long pants
3:55 - the Syracuse cheerleader who gives that nervous look - check out her hair
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Remembering Jimmy V
During this time of year I think about two greats who are no longer with us - Al McGuire and Jim Valvano...I will be doing a piece on McGuire later...But in one of the greatest feature articles ever, Sports Illustrated's Gary Smith writes a perfect piece about former N.C. State basketball coach Jim Valvano who was dying of cancer... "He entered the Arena with his wife on his arm and a container of holy water from Lourdes in his black leather bag. His back and hips and knees ached. That was the disease, they told him. His ears rang and his stomach turned and his hands and feet were dead. That, they said, was the cure. Each step he took brought a rattle from his bag. Twenty-four tablets of Advil were usually enough to get him through the day." ...
Below is a 9:48 clip of Jimmy V when he spoke at old Reynolds Coliseum at the 10 year anniversary of the title team...Jimmy V knew he was dying...at the 9:20 mark you will not have a dry eye as he concludes his speech by doing the Wolfpack fight song...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Mel Kiper - who is this guy?
Here is a classic article by Tom Junod in the April 27, 1992 edition of Sports Illustrated... Junod's feature was on the one-and-only Mel Kiper Jr..."Then into the middle of this scene strides a man who talks to everybody, except the groupies, or whom everybody talks to. As he walks through the lobby, you can hear the drumbeat of voices in his wake: "Hey Mel"..."Hey Mel"..."Hey Mel"..."Hey Mel." Everybody knows him, but who is he, and what does he do? He's not a player, that's for sure; he's average-sized, with thick legs and a slight paunch. He's not a coach, either; he looks indoorsy instead of outdoorsy, with a haircut that rises straight off his forehead and would fit just right on a fellow selling odd-lot carpets on late-night TV. He's not a scout, because he wears a tie, and he's not an agent, because the tie isn't pure silk—and besides, he's too nice a guy—and he's not a reporter, because on occasion he's followed by the autograph hounds. He's a star of some sort, but what role does he play?" ... Monday, March 2, 2009
Michigan's Fab Five - A look back
Stiles Points is starting a new feature by highlighting some of the great moments and athletes in sports by linking to the Sports Illustrated vault...today's feature is the Michigan Fab Five...the article appeared in the November 25, 1991 issue written by Alexander Wolff..."That such obsessive behavior isn't a prerequisite for successful recruiting will become evident to Michigan fans on Dec. 2 when Fisher guides the Wolverines' freshmen class of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson into its season opener against Detroit." ... Here is a 7:35 clip taht ESPN did on the Fab Five...
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Thoughts on the Matt Cassel trade
Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes about the Patriots trade of Matt Cassel... "Trading Cassel puts it to rest. The Patriots and Brady obviously think he can pick up where he left off when he was the league's Most Valuable Player, throwing 50 touchdown passes, in 2007. Belichick simply would not trade Cassel if he had any doubts about Brady's readiness for September." ... Dan Shaughnessy
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star writes that the Matt Cassel trade looks good on paper for the Chiefs... "We’ve seen this before. Fresh off a Super Bowl victory in 1999, Dick Vermeil used a high draft pick to acquire the QB he loved in St. Louis (Trent Green), spoke confidently about procuring players who “fit the profile,” blasted Larry Johnson for wearing a diaper and wooed the local media with dinner, wine and a spirit of love. You see the similarities?" ...Jason Whitlock
Eric Prisbell and Steve Yanda of the Washington Post writes how Under Armour may be violating NCAA recruiting policies when dealing with potential Maryland recruits... "The most elite high school basketball players are often recruited by shoe companies, but rarely is a company also a major benefactor of a university pursuing the same player. Under Armour founder and chief executive Kevin Plank is a former Maryland football player and member of the school's Board of Trustees. That means the NCAA considers him a "representative of the institution's athletics interests," commonly known as a booster. Under Armour Inc. is acknowledged by Maryland as a member of its "Legends" benefactor group, meaning it has donated more than $1 million to the school." ...Eric Prisbell and Steve Yanda
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star writes that the Matt Cassel trade looks good on paper for the Chiefs... "We’ve seen this before. Fresh off a Super Bowl victory in 1999, Dick Vermeil used a high draft pick to acquire the QB he loved in St. Louis (Trent Green), spoke confidently about procuring players who “fit the profile,” blasted Larry Johnson for wearing a diaper and wooed the local media with dinner, wine and a spirit of love. You see the similarities?" ...
Eric Prisbell and Steve Yanda of the Washington Post writes how Under Armour may be violating NCAA recruiting policies when dealing with potential Maryland recruits... "The most elite high school basketball players are often recruited by shoe companies, but rarely is a company also a major benefactor of a university pursuing the same player. Under Armour founder and chief executive Kevin Plank is a former Maryland football player and member of the school's Board of Trustees. That means the NCAA considers him a "representative of the institution's athletics interests," commonly known as a booster. Under Armour Inc. is acknowledged by Maryland as a member of its "Legends" benefactor group, meaning it has donated more than $1 million to the school." ...
Johnny "Red" Kerr, former Chicago Bull great, dies
This past week the Chicago Bulls family lost Norm Van Lier and Johnny "Red" Kerr...Kerr, who died on February 26th of prostate cancer, was honored by the Bulls just weeks earlier on February 10th...surprisingly Kerr is not in the NBA Hall of Fame...those who do not remember Kerr's playing days may best know him as part of Michael Jordan's pre-game ritual when Jordan would get talc powder and dust it in Kerr's face before each game...
The following is an excerpt from the USA Today...
The Bulls unveiled a statue of Kerr at the United Center during an emotional ceremony earlier this month that included taped messages from President Barack Obama and commissioner David Stern and speeches from Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan.
Pippen said Kerr "makes Chicago Bulls basketball what it is," while Jordan called him "an inspiration to me as a basketball player and as a person."
A Chicago native who served as the team's first head coach and received NBA Coach of the Year honors for leading the Bulls to the playoffs in the inaugural 1966-67 season, Kerr also received a photo collage from Bulls GM John Paxson and the Basketball Hall of Fame's John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from Jerry Colangelo during the ceremony.
"I want to thank everybody here in the audience who has seen the Bulls play not because of Red Kerr but because of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and all the other people in the organization," said a choked up Kerr.
Kerr played 12 seasons (1954-1966) in the NBA for the Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers and the Baltimore Bullets. From 1954 to 1965, the three-time NBA All-Star appeared in a then-NBA record 844 consecutive games.
Below is an 8:00 clip from the February 10th ceremony...
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