The conditions have been met. Within the hour, we’re leaving for Edison Field and Game 7 of the World Series. Read more →
EppsNet Archive: Sports
Dusty Baker’s Kid
Isn’t Dusty Baker a little old to have a 3-year-old son? And if he wants to bring the kid to work, to sit him in the dugout during the World Series, couldn’t he for godsake keep an eye on the kid so he’s not running around home plate in the middle of play? I would have given anything to see that kid on the receiving end of a Ray Fosse-style collision. That would have been in my Top 10 Memorable Moments in Baseball for sure. Read more →
Tae Kwon Do
My son receives his tae kwon do black belt. Read more →
Two Tickets
I’m now the proud owner of two tickets to Game 7 of the World Series, provided there is a Game 7, and provided that it’s played at Edison Field (which it will be if the Angels are the AL champs). Read more →
Donnie Moore
There’s a sad story on Donnie Moore’s daughter in the Orange County Register today . . . In 1986, the Angels were one out away from the World Series when Moore gave up a two-run homer to Boston’s Dave Henderson. The Angels lost the game, lost the next two games to lose the series, and — until this season — haven’t been in the playoffs since. Three years later, Moore killed himself with a gun. Read more →
Damn Yankees
I know all about it. But I don’t see it as magic. They have a good team. It isn’t magic. — Troy Percival on the Yankee mystique Percival’s first pitch last night was a 97 mph fastball that “accidentally” sailed about two feet inside and drilled Alfonso Soriano. Soriano had celebrated a go-ahead home run earlier in the game with a fist-pumping curtain call. Read more →
Mike Webster
Former Steeler Webster dies at age 50 — ESPN.com This is a sad story. Mike Webster’s football career brought him nine Pro Bowl appearances, four Super Bowl victories, a Hall of Fame induction, and irreversible brain damage, which in turn led to memory loss, depression and homelessness. He was living in Pittsburgh with his high-school age son, who last week told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: My dad has some health problems no one knows about and that I don’t want to get into that much. But he has some brain injuries from football. I have to take care of my dad. Read more →
Healing Power
“Healing power of sports” nonsense thoughtfully refuted: If, in the long run, you need sports to help you through a time of tragedy and to take your mind off a grimmer reality, then you are emotionally in so much trouble in not understanding what is real and what is fantasy that the prospects for your long-term emotional health are probably not very good. Read more →
At the Ballpark
Woman collapses, dies in Orlando Rays’ minor-league promotion — ESPN.com Nothing like this ever happens when I go to the ballpark. The story doesn’t give the woman’s height and weight — it may have been newsworthy in that 28-year-old women normally don’t keel over and die after a short run. At least one paper elected — somewhat insensitively, I think — to run news of the woman’s death in a baseball roundup column, immediately followed by the mesmerizing news that the Blue Jays activated Carlos Delgado from the 15-day DL. Read more →
The Greatest Golfer Who Never Won a Major
The only person who remembers if you finish second is your wife and your dog — and that’s if you have a good wife and a good dog. — Gary Player Believe it or not, there was once a time when great golfers actually won majors . . . Read more →
Soccer Balls
Testicle cancer rates for World Cup nations ranked Like they say, here’s one that won’t show up in the box score . . . Read more →
Quietus
ORANGE COUNTY, CA – A 26-year-old Sacramento man was stabbed to death late Tuesday in front of a Garden Grove apartment where he was visiting residents, police said. — The Orange County Register Probably the only way to stop him whining about the Lakers-Kings series . . . Read more →
Watching the NBA Finals with a 3rd Grader
The Nets have new uniforms. See, it says ‘New Jersey’ right on the front. On Nets guard Lucious Harris shooting 2-for-23: “They’d be better off having Lucious Malfoy [a wizard in the Harry Potter books]. He could point his wand at the ball and make it go in the basket. Read more →
Another Difference Between USC and UCLA
NBC analyst Bill Walton attended UCLA. FOX Sports analysts Marques Johnson and Jack Haley also went to UCLA. Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss attended USC. Read more →
Senegal 1, France 0
In a historic upset, Senegal, making its first appearance in World Cup competition, defeats France, the defending champs. Senegal was a French colony until 1960. Ironically, France has previously scored a number of impressive victories against the African colonies, although it must be noted that they were competing with guns against spears in those matchups. Read more →
USC Alumni Notes
Trojans win 16th NCAA men’s tennis championship. Mark Prior strikes out 10 in major league debut with Cubs. Chandra Levy found. Read more →
Ted Demme
Director Ted Demme dies while participating in a celebrity basketball game. I can’t think of any plausible reason for attending a celebrity basketball game other than watching some fat cokehead keel over. Kudos, Ted! Read more →
Hockey is Fun!
Thomas Junta, a 275-pound “hockey dad,” was convicted of manslaughter for beating to death another parent, 156-pound Michael Costin, at a youth scrimmage. The point that Junta was trying to get across to Costin was that Costin’s sons were playing too rough and spoiling a nice, fun game of hockey. Way to go, Dad! Read more →
No Critics
I tried to conduct myself in such a way that I wanted my players to act. I think our youngsters, whether they be basketball players or our children at home, need models more than they need critics. — John Wooden Read more →
Remember That
Motto on the wall at my son’s tae kwon do school: A Winner is never Excuse. A Looser is always Complain. Read more →