The Top Montgomery County Sports Stories of 2013

By Holden Wilen

This past year has been a crazy one.

For me personally, it was my first full year as a professional reporter working at the Montgomery Sentinel. I was fortunate enough to cover many of the major events in 2013. From covering the Boston Marathon bombings to Montgomery County raising the minimum wage—I saw it all.

In the world of sports, there was no shortage of stories either. Manti Te’o had a fake dead girlfriend, Lance Armstrong admitted to doping and Alex Rodriguez is involved in yet another steroid scandal. Alabama lost on a missed field goal returned for a touchdown, the Red Sox won their third world series since 2004 after going 86 years without winning one, and the Pittsburgh Pirates made the playoffs.

Yes, that’s right, the Pirates made the playoffs. What can I say, 2013 was a truly crazy year.

With all that said, this is the time where everyone is posting their “top ten lists” from the past year. I would only feel left out if I did not submit my own.

In honor of 2013 and my coverage of Montgomery County, MD, here are what I consider to be the top seven sports stories of the year.

7. Magruder football beats Walter Johnson 4-2
This game was an absolute shootout.
Last season the Magruder Colonels football team got outscored 413-21 on the way to going 1-9. The team is awful and miserable to watch.
This past season fans expected nothing less than the same.
When the Colonels faced Walter Johnson in week five, I actually predicted a win. Both teams came in winless and  my line of thinking was Magruder beat Walter Johnson the year before, and were actually better this season (though that was not saying much). I was right, but not in the way I thought I would be.
Magruder won 4-2 in a game that can either be described as an utter embarrassment or a game for the ages. Magruder led 4-0 after two safeties and gave up the Walter Johnson safety on a punt. Coach Kevin Bernot decided it would be better to intentionally give up a safety and put the responsibility on his defense rather than risk a blocked punt or give a short field to the Walter Johnson offense.
The decision worked out because Magruder won 4-2. I have never heard of a football game having that kind of final score, and I think many were there with me.
Yahoo! Sports actually had a post about the game. The game also received mention from a writer on ESPN.com who lives in Montgomery County.
This was a game that will be remembered for a long time, and for that it deserves recognition in the top seven sports stories of the year.

6. Good Counsel grad Jelani Jenkins is selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft

When the Miami Dolphins selected Jelani Jenkins with the seventh pick in the fourth round of the NFL Draft (104th overall), Jenkins became the first Good Counsel player drafted into the league.

Jenkins was a standout linebacker and fullback for the Falcons before graduating in 2009. He finished his high school career with 1,129 rushing yards, 42 touchdowns while also compiling 60 tackles, four sacks and an interception on the defensive side of the ball. 

After high school, Jenkins decided to go play for Urban Meyer at the University of Florida. He decided to forgo his senior year as a Gator to enter the draft. He finished his college career with 182 tackles in 182 tackles, six sacks, and three interceptions.

At Good Counsel Jenkins played for legendary coach Bob Milloy. When the Dolphins selected Jenkins, he became the second player Milloy coached to make it to the NFL, following former Seahawks and Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs.

In his rookie year, Jenkins did not see much playing time. He played in all sixteen games and finished with 17 tackles.

Jenkins’ career is only beginning and he is representing Good Counsel, Olney and the rest of Montgomery County well.

5. Churchill baseball makes it to the state semifinals

It was unexpected, but despite being unseeded in the playoffs Churchill High School’s baseball team made it to the Maryland state semifinals.

Churchill entered the playoffs with a 7-10 record. Few, including myself, expected them to go anywhere. Montgomery County did not have any dominant teams last season, but Sherwood, Gaithersburg, Quince Orchard, Whitman and Northwest were all better teams and seemed to have good shots to make a playoff run.

However, it was the boys from Potomac who came through during a Cinderella playoff run.

Churchill’s bats alive as the team won 11-0 against Kennedy and then upset Whitman 10-8, Churchill then beat Bethesda-Chevy Chase 5-4 in the regional semifinals and beat Wootton 10-5 in the regional finals to earn a trip to College Park to face Catonsville in the state semifinals.

For me personally, I was shocked. I watched Churchill twice, and both times the team did not look good at all, including a 10-0 loss to Gaithersburg. 

Against Catonsville, Churchill ran out of magic but the team did not go down without a fight before falling 4-3. Churchill actually had its chances, but the team left nine men on base and had three guys tagged out at home.

Coach Scott Blackwood did a remarkable job with this team, and with so many young players coming back next season—the team only graduates two seniors—Churchill looks like it will be a team to keep on the radar.

4. John Harvill dies

On Dec. 27 Montgomery County lost a football coaching legend.

Former Gaithersburg head coach John Harvill died at the age of 88 after losing a battle to a bacterial infection.

During his coaching career—which spanned more than four decades—Harvill won two state championships at Gaithersburg, led the team to four undefeated seasons, and retired as the state’s winningest coach with 312 victories to his name. He retired in 2000.

His coaching tree is a long one, which includes former Sherwood coach Al Thomas, Quince Orchard coach Dave Mencarini, and Northwest coach Mike Neubeiser who just led his team to a state title.

Harvill also coached several players who would later make it to the NFL including Tony Greene and Tom McHale.

In reading all the stories written about Harvill since he passed away last Friday, it is clear to me the effect he had on the lives of those he touched. Every quote speaks to the leadership he provided, the emphasis he put on educating young men and how he was a father figure to so many.

Harvill enjoyed lots of success on the field, but it is obvious how much he meant off of it as well. He will be missed and my prayers go out to all those mourning his death.

3. Magruder loses to Eleanor Roosevelt 61-56 in state finals

For the third time in 12 years Magruder High School’s basketball team faced off against Eleanor Roosevelt in the state championship game.

The first two times the Colonels came out on top, winning championships in 2001 and 2012. This time however, things did not go the Colonels’ way.

All night long Magruder struggled to hit shots, despite leading the state in three-point shooting. Eleanor Roosevelt capitalized on its size advantage over Magruder, dominating in points in the paint.

Magruder, led by its senior trio of point guard J.J. Epps, shooting guard Nick Griffin, and forward Justin Whitmer, showed heart and made a comeback in the fourth quarter. Magruder trailed by eight in the period but after a Whitmer three, trailed by only four points at 55-51.

It was not enough, as Eleanor Roosevelt hit its free throws down the stretch to win the game.

Despite losing out on its chance for back-to-back titles, Magruder fans had no reason to be disappointed. Joe Hugley, a freshman forward/center for Magruder showed flashes of brilliance in the game, scoring nine points and grabbing ten rebounds. Also, what the three Colonels seniors accomplished in their careers cannot be diminished.

Coach Dan Harwood, one of the greatest in state history, never skipped an opportunity to talk about how much he respected his seniors and how much they meant to him. Whenever I spoke with Harwood it was always clear to me how much he sincerely cared about those young men.

Epps, Griffin and Whitmer gave the Magruder community something to believe in when times were tough.

In 2011, three Magruder students tragically lost their lives in a drunk-driving car accident. As a Magruder alum myself, I was heartbroken, and I know my feelings were shared by others.

My brother knew these students and I knew the young man driving the vehicle. I have known his older brother since elementary school and my sister used to be friends with him.

The whole situation was devastating.

At the same time, Magruder basketball was in a place it had not been in a while—struggling. However in 2011 the three aforementioned players started to make an impact on the program. The team began to wear “Who Datt” shirts in honor of their fallen brother. Then the team went on to win the 2012 championship, losing only one game all season.

These three men played a role in bringing hope back to the community and giving the people of Magruder something to smile about. It would have been great if they could have finished their careers out with a second straight championship, but I, and the rest of the Magruder family will always be grateful for everything they gave to the program and the memories they provided us.

2. Montrose Christian head coach Stu Vetter resigns

One of the most shocking moments in Montgomery County sports this year came when basketball coach Stu Vetter resigned after 14 years leading the helm at Montrose Christian.

Under Vetter, Montrose Christian achieved high levels of success and national recognition. Vetter led the team to 321 wins and graduated every single one of his players. Montrose Christian became one of THE private schools for basketball plaers

Some of Vetters’ players have had success in the NBA including Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, Toronto Raptors and former Maryland Terrapins point guard Greivis Vasquez, and former Raptors and Denver Nuggets forward Linas Kleiza.

I was blown away by his decision to retire, but at the same time I can understand why Vetters wants to take some time away to be with his family. I believe he will get back into coaching again one day, and when he does other schools better watch out.

1. Northwest wins the state championship

This year’s number one county sports story is obvious to me. How could it not be the Northwest Jaguars winning the state championship?

Northwest was one of the teams I was assigned to cover for the Sentinel’s 2013 football preview. I knew the team had talent, and in talking to coach Mike Neubeiser, I could tell he was a confident man. However, confidence does not always translate to wins. In this case it did.

Northwest began the year 3-0, including a 20-13 win over Germantown rival Seneca Valley for the King’s Trophy, but few people at the time considered the team a contender for the state title. The next week Northwest got pummeled by undefeated Gaithersburg 26-6.

The Jaguars recovered from the loss to win its next three games, including handing Paint Branch its first and only regular season loss 31-28 in overtime on the road. However, the team stumbled again, losing to Clarksburg 14-13.

After the loss, skeptics said Northwest had no chance at winning the state title, and that county rival Quince Orchard would easily run the table and go to the championship game.

The week after losing to Clarksburg, Northwest beat those Quince Orchard Cougars 35-21 on the road.

The Jaguars found their secret weapon in that game—taking advantage of track star Matt Watson’s speed as a wide receiver.

I covered multiple Northwest games this season, including the wins over Seneca and Paint Branch. Personally, I always thought the team was a contender. I thought their star, athlete Josh Gills, was a tremendous talent. Gills accounted for 25 total touchdowns during the season passing, rushing, receiving, defensively and returning kickoffs.

In addition to Gills, sophomore quarter Mark Pierce showed signs of wisdom beyond his years. He had a confidence to make plays during important moments of games, and he always knew where to go with the ball.

Northwest also had a tremendous defense—one that could stop the run, rush the quarterback and force lots of turnovers. Rasheed Gillis was tremendous at rushing off the edge, and the defense always seemed to be attacking. The corners were physical and rarely allowed opposing receivers get separation.

 When the team added Watson to the mix, it changed the dynamic of the offense and the team as a whole.

Watson provided a new dimension to the offense because of his ability to take a short pass and break it for a long touchdown. He gave Pierce another weapon to go to in the passing game, and he also opened up plays for Gills. With the offense playing so well, it became easier for the defense to attack and play aggressively.

Quince Orchard had no answer for Watson, as he scored three touchdowns.

When the playoffs rolled around, Northwest was 8-2 and hosted Gaithersburg in a rematch. Northwest dominated and won the game 36-7 as Watson and Pierce both tore apart the defense.

The Trojans could also not get anything going at all against the Jaguars’ defense.

The next week, Northwest faced off in the regional finals against Quince Orchard in a rematch, again on the road.

I predicted Northwest to win the game. I told my coworkers, including our main sports writer, that I believed Northwest could win. Everyone laughed at me. Quince Orchard only had one loss, people told me, and they would be angry seeking revenge for that one loss.

Well, it all got settled on the field. Northwest won 28-20 and earned a trip to the state semifinals.

In the state semis, Northwest played yet another rematch, taking on Paint Branch. Again people doubted Northwest saying that Paint Branch and its vaunted spread offense led by quarterback and likely Player of the Year Gaston Cooper would win the game.

Northwest destroyed Paint Branch, winning 55-36.

In the state championship Northwest faced undefeated Suitland High School. Wouldn’t you know it but again most people gave Northwest little chance to win.

It all came together for the Jaguars as they again dominated the competition and won 33-16 to earn the school’s second state title. Pierce finished the game with 261 passing yards and two touchdowns, including a 77-yard strike to—you guessed it—Matt Watson. Josh Gills scored a touchdown, and cornerback Rodney Snider came up big with an interception and several deflected passes.

With the win, Northwest became the first Montgomery County team to win the state championship since Sherwood in 2008. But hush—don’t tell Neubeiser and his young men they deserve it.

No Mo Romo?

No Mo Romo?

By Holden Wilen

It has been a long time since I have written anything for this blog. Since my last post my life has changed quite bit. 

I graduated from Texas Tech University in Dec. 2012, and began my journey towards becoming a fulltime sports reporter. I am currently a reporter for the Montgomery County Sentinel, a position I have been in for almost a year now. While I may not be at the point I want to be at yet, I am grateful for the opportunities I have had and look forward to the future.

In the meantime, here I am trying to expand my online presence and get my voice out there by starting this blog back up again.

So there I am trying to think of what to write about and wouldn’t you know it, as I am brainstorming ideas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo takes over headlines for the 5,464,342nd time this season. This time the news is Romo may or may not be out for the season with a herniated disk. It became painfully obvious to me what I needed to write about: Tony Romo.

Reports are Romo is out for the season, but head coach Jason Garrett is calling him day to day, and owner Jerry Jones is doing his best to spread optimism, saying he hopes he can play on Sunday.

When I first heard the news about Romo’s injury the first thing I thought was, “Oh no.” As a Cowboys fan, I initially became worried about whether or not the Cowboys would now make the playoffs. The more I thought about Romo’s injury however, the more I realized it presents an opportunity.

First and foremost, the injury provides an opportunity for all of the Romo haters to see what happens when the team does not have the former undrafted free agent taking snaps under center. At the same time, the injury also provides an opportunity for vindication.

All the time haters take shots at Romo: “Romo the homo!” “Romo can’t get it done in the fourth quarter,” Romo doesn’t come through in the clutch.”

Well Romo haters, here is your chance to see what it is like when the Cowboys do not have Romo playing quarterback.

It seems to me Cowboys fans have a short memory. Do you not remember what it was like at the end of Troy Aikman’s career and after he retired?

Aikman retired in 2000 after being diagnosed with his seventh concussion. After he retired, the Cowboys went through a revolving door of quarterbacks ranging from embarrassing to mediocre. In total, the Cowboys started nine different quarterbacks between 2000-2006, when Romo took over the starting job.

The names on that list are a who’s who of mediocrity: a washed-up Randall Cunningham, Anthony Wright, Quincy Carter, Ryan Leaf, Clint Stoerner, Chad Hutchison, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Henson and Drew Bledsoe.

In total, these nine men combined for zero Pro Bowl appearances and one playoff berth (Carter in 2003).

For those of you who have forgotten how bad it was, let me indulge you with a refresher:

Between 2000-2006, the nine quarterbacks combined for 91 starts. In those starts they threw for 18,291 yards, 100 touchdowns and 110 interceptions, while completing only 53.3 percent of their passes. Great numbers, huh?

Oh and in case you were wondering, the Cowboys record in that time was 43-59. The Cowboys lost their lone playoff game in 2003 to the Carolina Panthers with Carter starting.

Then, in a 2006 Monday Night Football game against the New York Giants something happened.

The Cowboys had began the year 3-2, and looking like they were again headed for nowhere. Drew Bledsoe was starting and looking old. He was past his prime, had a slow release and virtually no mobility. The Giants’ pass rush was having a field day. With the team struggling, head coach Bill Parcells decided to make a change. He chose to put in an unknown, undrafted free agent from Eastern Illinois who was in his fourth year in the league as a backup on the team.

Though the Cowboys lost the game to the Giants, Romo showed something no quarterback had shown in more than a few years—he had shown a spark and an ability to make plays in and out of the pocket. Romo led the team to a 6-4 record down the stretch and into the playoffs as a wildcard. However, his story took a turn in the wildcard playoff game because as a placeholder on field goals, he botched the hold on what would have been a game-tying extra point with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Instead of tying the game the Cowboys lost 21-20.

Romo has enjoyed success as a quarterback for the Cowboys, and it seems fans do not appreciate what he has accomplished.

We saw the numbers for the nine previous Cowboys quarterbacks. Compare those numbers to Romo’s: From 2006-2013 he has started 93 games. In those games he has thrown for 29,565 yards, 208 touchdowns and 101 interceptions while completing 64.6 percent of his passes.

Romo has thrown for more than 11,000 more yards than the other guys, more than doubled the number of touchdowns they threw, and thrown seven less interceptions! In addition, the Cowboys have a 68-52 record since Romo became the starter, won two division titles (2007 and 2009), and made four overall playoff appearances. Romo has also made the Pro Bowl three times.

Now here’s the bad—the Cowboys are only 1-3 in the playoffs with Romo, and are 1-6 in elimination games. Of course everyone remembers the botched hold, and the numerous interceptions Romo has thrown in the elimination games.

However, my point is without Romo the Cowboys do not even participate in elimination games. Romo at least gives the Cowboys a chance to win. Yes he makes mistakes (though not as many as people think he does), but he also makes plays. Maybe that is what makes him so frustrating.

Throughout the years the Cowboys have had some poor offensive lines. Romo has one of the quickest releases in the history of the league as well as a unique ability to escape pressure in the pocket. Without Romo under center, I think we would have seen a lot more turnovers and sacks during the last few seasons, and fewer completed passes and touchdowns.

I guess what it seems like to me is people see Romo’s talent and hold him to a higher standard than maybe I do. Perhaps I still have the expectations for quarterbacks I became accustomed to during 2000-2006, and am grateful every time I watch Romo make plays. Perhaps others are frustrated because they see Romo make incredible plays, and wonder why he can’t harness that ability 100 percent of the time, and more specifically “when it matters.”

I am with you all—I desperately want the Cowboys to be in the playoffs every year and I long for another Super Bowl title. However, I don’t think getting rid of Romo is the answer. Do I get frustrated when he throws a pick? Of course I do. But I also remember how we even got to the point that we are competing in a game.

In order to have success you need a quarterback. Why get rid of one who has done so well?

Instead of getting rid of Romo, why don’t the Cowboys go out and hire a coaching staff that will put an emphasis on making good decisions and cutting down penalties. The current coaching staff and previous staffs have not held players accountable for penalties.

Why don’t the Cowboys try and build a real defense? Sure there have been some talented players (Sean Lee, Demarcus Ware, Terence Newman) but all in all, the defense has not been good. This year’s ranks among the worst in NFL history.

Perhaps the real problem is the man on top—Jerry Jones.

For too long Jones has been the final decision maker for the Cowboys. What other owner goes down to the sidelines during games? What other owner is the general manager for his team? What other owner addresses the media after every single game, as if he is one of the players or a coach?

I believe Jones cares about the Cowboys and wants to win as badly as the rest of us do. The problem is he is getting in his own way.

I love that Jones spends money on free agents and is willing to make trades.

I just wish he would hire somebody to spend the money and make trades for him.

Romo has made mistakes, but he also gives the Cowboys a chance to win, even when the odds are against them. Now, with Romo injured, the haters have a chance to see what the team looks like with another guy under center, this time veteran backup Kyle Orton.

Since Romo became the starter in 2006, he has missed 13 games due to injury. In those games the Cowboys are 6-7. The quarterbacks have not been as bad as the 2000-2006 starters, but they have not been excellent either—throwing for 17 touchdowns, 17 interceptions and completing 62.8 percent of their passes.

Orton is not a bad quarterback—he has a 35-34 record as a starting quarterback—but he does not exude confidence, at least to me. Instead, I think about when Testaverde and Bledsoe were behind center—two guys who had enjoyed success in their careers, but were nearing retirement, did not have big-play ability, and were statues in the pocket.

Orton does not have the elusiveness Romo possesses, and behind this offensive line that presents a problem. The offense will not be able to put up the same numbers it does with Romo, which is a problem because the defense is still horrible.

Could the Cowboys win on Sunday against the Eagles? Sure, and I would be thrilled. But at the same time, don’t be shocked if the Eagles blow the Cowboys out. Do not be surprised if the offense has trouble making plays. Do not be surprised Orton gets sacked a lot and cannot get the ball down the field.

Romo may not be the best quarterback out there, and he is not Aikman or Roger Staubach, but he is still the guy I want to see leading the Cowboys until someone can find me a better option. I do not want to go back to having Ryan Leaf and Clint Stoerner starting for my team.

So as you are watching Sunday's game ask yourself this question: "Do we really want to go back to the days of Chad Hutchison and Anthony Wright?" If the Cowboys dump Romo, then I believe it will be like when someone breaks up with their girlfriend or boyfriend in a chick-flick and then realizes they made a mistake. You do not realize what you have until you do not have it anymore.

I do not want to be in that situation. I say keep Tony Romo around and support him.

I believe in you Tony, even if others do not.

Giants vs. Reds postgame

The Giants lost to the Reds tonight 4-2 to fall to 9-8 on the season. Clay Hensley picked up the loss after Barry Zito pitched six innings of one-run baseball. Jose Arredondo picked up the win for the Reds who are now 9-9.

This loss was very distraughting because Zito pitched so well. The Giants rely so much on pitching, the bullpen can’t be wasting quality starts. Clay Hensley has particularly been struggling recently, giving up several hits in his last few appearances. This is also the second game that he has given up the lead and taken the loss. I know it’s going to be tough on the Giants bullpen after losing Brian Wilson, but the bullpen as a staff needs to step up to collectively overcome the loss of one of the best closers in the game.

Angel Pagan hit a home run tonight, but I’m not happy with how he is doing in the leadoff spot. I know he has a lot of speed, but it seems like he is trying to hard to hit for power. I’d rather he hits for contact and just tries to get on base to set the table for the middle of the order. In the last week he has hit less than .250 with two home runs. Like I said, go for contact, get on base, and steal some bags. That’s what I want from my leadoff man.

On another note, how good has Barry Zito looked? Every single one of his starts has been a quality start, and tonight was no different. He had the Reds’ hitters off-balance all night long. The only blemish was the solo shot he gave up to Scott Rolen to lead off the seventh inning, but Bruce Bochy’s plan was to let him pitch the seventh until he gave up a hit. In retrospect, it might have been better to go straight to the bullpen, but I can’t blame Bochy for his decision because Zito was on such a roll.

Overall, a disappointing loss but hopefully the Giants can avoid the sweep and pick up a win tomorrow.

The NBA has gone too far

So the sports world has been pretty hectic these past couple days, or for that matter, the past month or so. I never got around to finishing the 2nd half of my last post, but I definitely have some things to say about what has transpired in that time.

The biggest thing and the thing angering me the most right now, is the Chris Paul-deal-that-wasn't. I think this is unfair and completely unethical. David Stern has overstepped his boundaries as commissioner and is meddling in things he should not. I also do not care what Dan Gilbert thinks. He is an owner of the Cavs, not the Hornets, Rockets or Lakers. He should mind his own business. If he doesn’t like it, too bad! Maybe he should have put up a trade offer that was better, or not embarrassed himself after Lebron left. What player is going to want to play for this fool?

J.A. Adande wrote an excellent article tonight about the trade that wasn't, so I want to link to it since a lot of my opinions coincide with things he said, as well as because I also think it is a really well written, and thoughtful piece. His article can be seen here.

First of all, this trade was NOT unfair. In fact, all the teams, in my opinion, gained something and lost something. The Lakers lost one of the top power forwards in the game, at least offensively, by trading Pau Gasol. They also lost Lamar Odom, who is one of the most versatile players in the league, and was also important to the Lakers as a 6th man as well as someone who could start when Bynum or Gasol was hurt. The Rockets lost Luis Scola and Kevin Martin, both of whom are good players. Martin is a 20 point scorer, and Scola is a double-double guy. The Hornets were not going to get a better package of players than they would have gotten in this deal. It is RIDICULOUS that this trade is not happening!!!

I don't even want to get into how wrong it is that the NBA is controlling the Hornets in the first place, but it is even worse now that Stern is vetoeing trades. I have never EVER seen a commissioner nix a trade because "he didn't like". His apparant excuse was "basketball related reasons" but who actually believes that? He nixed the trade because he didn't like!

I understand the NBA currently owns the Hornets, but their general manager, Dell Demps, is still the man in charge of making trades. He decided that it was in the best interest of the HORNETS to make this trade, so it is his call. As I stated before, the trade was perfectly fair. Heck, the Pau Gasol trade the Lakers made a few years ago was a lot worse than this. If the trade was so bad, the owners have no reason to complain. 27 other teams had the opportunity to offer up a trade—Demps decided this was the best offer. Stern has no right whatsoever to nix a trade, and there is no precedent for this.

Now what does this mean for the future of the NBA? How can teams operate and make trades now that they know Stern might possibly decide to come down with an iron first and block the trade? How can the Lakers even make a trade now, they have the NBA playing big brother over their every move now. Same thing with the Hornets. They will not get a better package of players then they would have gotten in the nixed deal. What team is going to offer them a reasonable trade now? The Hornets have no leverage at all. Now the NBA has made it so the most likely scenarios is Paul plays for the Hornets and then leaves in the offseason and the Hornets get no compensation. Way to go NBA!!!

I also feel for the players involved. Paul thought he was leaving, and now he is in the difficult situation of being stuck on a team that he doesn’t really want to be on, and he thought he was gone. I mostly feel for Odom though. He was already distraught enough for being traded. He really loves LA, and he loves being a Laker, which I appreciate. Now he is back in LA, and feels unwanted. Now the NBA has put these players in a situation where it will be really awkward and uncomfortable. This, after a lockout in which the owners and players got into such a strong argument they almost had no season. Completely asinine.

I hope the NBA is satisfied with what they have done. They had a lockout because they wanted to become richer, even though they used basketball as the excuse. Now they are doing the same thing with this trade. This trade has nothing to do with competitive balance. Stern didn’t like the trade, so he didn’t allow it; it’s as simple as that.

I'm not even angry about this because I'm a Lakers fan. I'm angry about this because as a sports fan, I do not like seeing the commissioner of a league meddling in the affairs of team transactions and abusing his power. By blocking this trade, he has done more to upset the competitive balance than he is maintaining it. As a sports fan, I think this is unfair and unjustified; it makes me furious.

Scattered Thoughts

It has been a while since I have updated the blog, so I have decided to begin working on it again.

I am now pursuing a career in journalism, so hopefully this blog can help me with getting some writing out there. Obviously I want to a be a sports journalist.

Because it has been so long, I have a lot to say about the various sports:

BASEBALL:

I was disappointed the Giants didn't win the World Series this year, but I can't complain because when they won it all last year that was the greatest moment of my life. I never thought I'd see the day.

With that said, it was painful to see Buster Posey get hurt and lose him for the whole season. I hope he when he comes back next season he is able to regain the form he had during his awesome rookie year.

Another point about the Giants...I HATED the trade for Beltran. I wanted them to get him, but I did not want to see them give up a prospect as valuable as Zach Wheeler. Of course, Beltran ended up being a bust as well.

If the Giants do decide to re-sign him, I would not offer more than $9/year. I would offer him a 2 year $18 million deal, or a 3 year, $27 million deal. I just don't feel he is worth $10 million/year anymore. He gets hurt too much and he doesn't put up the numbers to demand that much money. In fact, here's how I would characterize Beltran if he were a woman: Beltran is that girl who comes to all the parties and her make-up and clothes make her look better than she is. She's attractive, but she's not THAT attractive. Basically, Carlos Beltran puts up some okay numbers, but his name carries more weight than it deserves. Specifically for the Giants, yes their offense sucks but they shouldn't get put a ton of money in Beltran just because of his name, even though he improves the offense. Sign someone who can increase the offensive output EVEN MORE than Beltran.

Finally, one last note from the baseball world. The Rangers loss. That. Was. Painful. That has to go down as one of the most painful/signature losses in baseball history. The Game 6 collapse was a stomach-punch loss. I knew they wouldn't win Game 7 because teams just don't come back from that kind of loss. One strike away from winning the World Series, TWICE? That's just painful. At to make matters worse they even took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the 1st inning in Game 1. Lets take a look at some of the memorable stomach-punch losses in recent history:

2002 World Series, Game 6: This was why 2010 was so great for me. The team vindicated what happened in 2002. The Giants were up 5-0 heading into the bottom of the 7th. Then that stupid monkey came out and ruined everything. Even worse, the Giants were still leading in the bottom of the 8th and 5 outs away from winning the World Series when they gave up the lead and lost 6-5. They lost Game 7 4-1 after leading 1-0 after the top of the 2nd.

2003 ALCS, Game 7 - We all remember this game. Grady Little leaves Pedro Martinez in the game 8th inning, and he gives up the lead by allowing 3 runs. The Yankees win the game in extra-innings on Aaron Boone's walkoff home run.

2003 NLCS, Game 6 - With the Cubs only 5 outs away from their first World Series appearance since 1945, Luis Castillo was up to bat. We all know what happens next. He hits a foul ball that Moises Alou tries to catch, but poor Steve Bartman interferes with the play. Castillo ends up walking. Later in the inning Alex Gonzalez bobbles a ball that could have been an inning-ending double play and the collapse was complete, the Cubs lost the game 8-3 and also lost Game 7.

1986 World Series, Game 6 - Poor Bill Buckner. With the Mets down to their last out Mookie Wilson is at bat and a wild pitch is thrown to tie the game. Later in the at bat Wilson hits a slow ground ball to Buckner down the first-base line. The ball goes through Buckner's legs and Ray Knight scores the winning run. The Red Sox lose Game 7 (which people always forget. They always think the Buckner game was the last game of the series).

Hopefully the Rangers can come back from the loss and play well next year. Hopefully they don't become the Buffalo Bills of baseball though.

Also, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on winning and good luck to Tony LaRussa in retirement. They MUST re-sign Pujols otherwise they have completely blown it.

NBA:

I don't even know where to begin with this sport. I think the NBA is completely retarded. However, while I sided with the players in the NFL lockout, I do actually agree with the owners in the NBA lockout. However, I do not agree with how the lockout has been handled. Why did it take until August/September for the owners and players to have their first meeting?????? This is something they should have done in, oh, you know April, May, June, and July!!! Way to show the fans you care. The NBA: Where greed, corruption, stupidity, and ineptitude happens!

I think the players and owners should just agree on a 50/50 split of revenue, do the amnesty clause, and create a hard cap. And maybe owners/GMs should not offer ridiculous contracts to the likes of Eddy Curry, Kenyon Martin, Larry Hughes, Amir Johnson, and MANY others. It was reckless and now the fans are getting punished for it.

For the record NBA: We don't care all that much! We still have the NFL, college football, college basketball, and now I'm paying even more attention to the NHL! Your loss, rich people.

NCAA BB:

As for college basketball, I am very excited for this season! I'm not expecting much from Texas Tech, but I am still anxious to see how different the team is under Billy Gillespie. I look forward to seeing a more mentally-sound team, and one that plays the game more fundamentally.

My mom and I are also doing a season-long NCAA pool where the team/person with the most wins, wins the pool. There is a $25 buy-in, and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd place teams/people win money. You pick 3 teams in the top 25 of the ESPN/Coaches poll, and 3 teams not in the poll. Our 6 teams are North Carolina, Duke, Ohio State, Butler, Belmont, and Wichita State. I can't wait to follow these 6 teams all year long, and have a vested interest in some of the smaller conferences in college basketball this year.


This has turned out to be a much longer post than anticipated, so check back later for my thoughts about college football (particularly Tech beating OU and then following that up with a loss to Iowa State), the NFL (some fantasy stuff too), and the NHL (Penguins are in first place!).